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A HISTORY

OF THE

I PLANING-MILL

WITH PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

FOR THE

Construction, Care, and Management of
Wood-working Machinery.

CI R. TOMPKINS. M.E.

C^ ' \ IL^VQ^ \

"Knowledge imparted to others is not lost to him who imparts it."

NEW YORK:
JOHN WILEY & SONS,

15 AsTOR Place.

1889.
So

John Wiley & Sons.

I -

Dbummond & NaxT,

Electrotypers,

i to 7 Hague Street,

New York.

Pkrhts Bros.,

Printers,

326 Pearl Street,

New York.

^n of |«2 jFrCenirs,

ESPECIALLY THOSE ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE, SALE, AND USE OF

WOOD-WORKING MACHINERY, AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHOSE

LIBERAL PATRONAGE AND FRIENDSHIP HAVE BEEN BESTOWED

UPON ME IN YEARS THAT ARE PAST,

THIS BOOK

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

The writer has no apology to offer for presenting
to the public this work on the care and management
of planing-mill machinery. The forty years or more
during which he has been identified with it — for
thirty of which he has been actively engaged in
its manufacture exclusively — is considered sufficient.
In September, 1886, he went out of business as a prac-
tical manufacturer ; yet he cannot say that he does
not still take an interest in it. The familiar hum of
the planing-mill is still pleasant to his ear, and brings
up grateful recollections of the past, and reminds
him of the many warm friends that he had, and still
has, among wood-workers all over the country. Dur-
ing that long experience and intimate relation with
some of the oldest planing-mill men, a number of
whom have long since gone to their rest, he was en-
abled to obtain many of the incidents and facts given
in the following pages. The long experience of the
author in its manufacture, sale, and use forms the basis
of those suggestions for the construction, care, and

VI PRE FA CE.

management of planing-mill machinery; and if they
should be found of practical use to those less ex-
perienced, then this work, which is dedicated to all
users of such machinery, will not have been written
in vain.

That such may be the case, is the sincere wish of the
author.

Rochester, N. Y., December 7, 1888.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

Early History of the Planing-mill, i

Early Inventions in England, 3

Improvements, . 4

CHAPTER II.

Automatic Feed-rolls, 7

Wm. Woodworth's Invention, 8

His First Machine, _ . 9

The Commencement of the Planing-mill Monopoly, . . . ii

CHAPTER III.

Other Inventions, 15

Suits for Infringement, . . 16

The Patent renewed by Special Act of Congress, ... 16

The Norcross Planer, 18

His Patent Sustained, 18

CHAPTER IV.

Application for Another Extension, . . . . . . 23

A Formidable Remonstrance, ....... 24

Defeat of the Application, . . . . . . . . 24

Improvements, etc., 27

CHAPTER V.

Brown's Extension Gears, . . . . . . . . 31

Other Improvements, 32

Burleigh's Extension Gears, ....... 3^

CONTENTS.

The Dimension Planer, Gray & Wood's Patent,
H. D. Stover's Celebrated Claim,

CHAPTER VI.

Further Improvements,

Patents of Wardwell and others,

Wm. H. Doane and others,

The Chip-breaker, J. B. Tar's Patent,

Early History of the Moulding-machine,

CHAPTER VII.

Moulding-machine Continued, .

The Inside Moulder, . . . ;

Introduction of the Resawing-machine,

The Crosby Patent, ....

Myers & Unison's Claims, .

Suit against Messrs. Hawley and Mr. Doncaster,

Results,

PAGE

33
34

38
38
39
41
44

49
50

52
52
55
55
55

CHAPTER VIII.

Abuses of Patent Laws,

The Act of 1870, . .

The Woodbury Patent, .......

Attempts to Build up another Planing-mill Monopoly,
Suits in which the Patent was set aside, ....

CHAPTER IX.

Construction of Machinery,

Quality and Strength of Castings, . . .

Care in Moulding, ........

Frames for Machinery, . . . . ,

CHAPTER X.

Care Required in the Construction of Wood-working Tools,
Best Proportion for Cylinders, . . . . .

Relative Length and Size of Journals,

Cast-steel Cylinders, ........

The best Practical Method of fitting them up, .

56
56

57
58
59

71
72
76

79
81

83
84

CONTENTS.

Vll

CHAPTER XL

Speeding Wood- working Machinery, .
Variation of Speed in Different Mills,
Centrifugal Force Considered, .
Tensile Strength of Bolts, .
Pulleys, etc., . . . . .

CHAPTER Xn.

Importance of Putting Up and Adjusting New Machines,

Necessity of Employing Competent Men, .

Mistakes often made in the Speed,

Anecdote, Mr. A.'s Mistake,

Annoyance from Bad Belts,

Matcher-belts require Extra Care,

CHAPTER Xni.

Feed-rolls,

Manner of casting them, ....
Trouble caused by Imperfect Rolls, .
Imperfect Gearing

CHAPTER XIV.

Lubrication, . .

Defective Boxes,

The Self -oiling Box described, .

Glass-oilers, . . . .

Adulterated Oils,

The Best Oils for Planing-mills,

CHAPTER XV.

Hints about Moulding-machines,

The most Suitable Size for Planing-mill Purposes,

The best Material for Cylinders and their Style,

Solid Cutters,

Sectional Cutters Useful,

CHAPTER XVI.
Some of the Difficulties that Manufacturers meet with.
Inexperienced Men

PAGE

89
90
92
94
95

99
102
103

105
106

no
III
"3
"5

119
119
120
124

125
126

129
130
133
134

135

138
139

Vlll CONTENTS.

PAGE

Professional Humbugs, * . 140

Carelessness often the Cause of Trouble, 141

The Operator in his Own Estimation never at Fault, . . . 143

CHAPTER XVH.

Responsibilities of Foreman, .145

System in Management, 146

A Striking Contrast, 147

Foundations, 149

Levelling from Certain Points Important, . . . . .151

CHAPTER XVni.
A Suitable Outfit for a Small Mill described, . . . .154

Machines should be adapted to the Work, 158

A Question of Power, . . . . . . . .159

Economy in Fuel, . 160

Suitable sized Engines, .160

CHAPTER XIX.

Advice to Operators, 165

Feeding Crooked Stuff, ........ 166

Setting the Guides, 167

The Use of Springs not recommended, 167

More Experience 168

Causes for Lumber Drawing away from the Guide, . . .169

CHAPTER XX.

Artistic Wood-work, 171

Improved Machines for that Purpose, 172

Cutting Tools, . 173

Importance of a Running Balance, , . . . . .175

Hints for fitting up Tools, .176

Their Temper, . 176

Hard and Soft Cutters Considered, 176

Spindles and Collars, . . . . . . . .177

CHAPTER XXI.
Friction and the Laws which govern it, . . . . . 180

Sliding Contact, 181

Revolving Contact, .183

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Resistance according to Weight Independent of Surface, . . 184
Its Application to Planing-mill Machinery, . . . .185

CHAPTER XXII.

Shafting, 186

Its Proportional Size and Speed, 187

Torsional Strength considered, . . . . , , .188

Method of Testing, 189

Rules for calculating its Strength, ...... igo

Table giving Size, Speed, and Power, ..... 197

CHAPTER XXIH.

Belting, the Selection of, ... i ... . 198

The Importance of the Mill being well belted, .... 199

Leather Belting the best adapted for the Purpose, . . . 200

Rules for calculating their Power and Length, . . . . 201

Oils not Suitable for Belting, 206

Hints for their Care and Management, 207

Double Belts, Objections to, ...... . 212

Table showing the Power and Speed of Belts, . . . . 215

CHAPTER XXIV.

Advice to Young Men, . . , . . . . .217

They should make themselves Proficients in the Business, . . 218
Frequent Changes not Advisable, . . . ... . 219

Proper Studies for the Young Mechanic, ..... 220

Should fit himself for Future Usefulness, 221

HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL

CHAPTER I.

EARLY INVENTIONS, IMPROVEMENTS, ETC.

The history of the planing-mill, like many other
useful machines, may be traced back in its rudimentary
form many years before its individuality as a distinct
and complete machine was fully recognized. We find,
by a careful examination of old mechanical works pub-
lished both in England and France that, many years
before William Woodworth made his invention, ma-
chines of a similar character were used for working
wood into various shapes ; and among these different
machines one can readily discover nearly all of the ele-
ments from which the planing-machine originated.

It is a well-known fact, and one that is recognized by
all inventors, that, as a rule, no one man ever originated
and perfected an entire machine without embodying
in it some of the conceptions of a previous inventor.
The first inventor may conceive and carry out, to a
certain extent, an idea which to him may appear to be
perfect and original in all its parts, and succeed in ac-
complishing the object in a manner satisfactory to
himself ; but as one idea always suggests another, the

2 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

second inventor may take the same elements and com-
mence practically where the first left off, and not only
improve upon that idea, but add other ideas of his own
to it which the first inventor never thought of, until
finally, by the skill and efforts of a series of inventors,
the machine becomes perfected in all of its parts.

In some of the earlier inventions in England for the
purpose of planing lumber, the stationary knife, in imi-
tation of the hand-plane, seemed to be the prevailing
idea ; either by a reciprocating motion of the knife, or by
forcing the lumber by suitable mechanism under a sta-
tionary knife set in an adjustable stock in order to ac-
commodate the various thicknesses of the lumber to be
planed. As these machines appear to have been ex-
perimental, and never came into general use, it is prob-
able that there were certain mechanical difficulties at-
tending them which could not be overcome so as to
render them fit for practical use.

In some of the old machines where the rotary cutter-
head was used, the head was attached to a mandrel
much in the manner as the circular saw of the present
time, and the stuff to be planed was pushed by hand,
either over or under the cutter-head, and held down to
the table by blocks or springs much in the same man-
ner as the hand-jointer or buzz-planer of the present
time. It seems that this style of planing light stuff was
in use as late as 1836, when it was determined to build
the great conservatoryat Chatsworth, when Mr. Paxton,
the architect and contractor, says, '' he found it desir-
able to contrive some means for lessening the great
amount of manual labor required in making the im-
mense number of sash-bars required for that purpose."

EARLY INVENTIONS, IMPROVEMENTS, ETC. 3

On visiting all the great work-shops of London, Man-
chester, and Birmingham, the only apparatus which he
met with was a grooving-machine. This he obtained,
and fitted up at Chatsworth, in connection with a steam-
engine, and subsequently so improved it that he could
make sash-bars on it complete. This machine, he says,
effected a saving of ^^1400 in the expense of the con-
servatory. The length of each bar was forty-eight
inches, and the original cost of the machine, including the
table, wheels, etc., complete, was ;£'20. The attendants re-
quired were only a man and a boy. The sash-bars could
be made any shape by changing the saws. The bar
was presented to the saws below the centre of motion,
and to the teeth of the saws which were ascending from
the table. " A velocity of twelve hundred revolutions per
minute was required to finish the work in a proper man-
ner, d^nd, four feet per minute could be produced in this
mannen"

In 1850, when the great exhibition building in Lon-
don was constructed, a similar machine was used by
Messrs. Fox and Henderson, the contractors, for form-
ing the gutters for the same. Mr. Henderson, however,
made some improvements, by adding cutter-heads, so
that, instead of using one head and passing the stuff
through the machine four times, he applied four heads,
so as to finish the work on all four sides by once passing
it through the machine. The timber was first squared
up to the proper size by a machine invented by Mr.
Furness, and known at that time as the Furness plan-
ing-machine. In a description of this machine by
Mr. Paxton, he says : " In this machine, cutters were
attached to the ends of an arm revolving with great

4 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

rapidity in a horizontal plane. The timber was wedged
up in a frame travelling upon rails, and as this was
passed under the revolving cutters, the upper surface is
planed off, the timber being held down upon the frame
by a large iron disk." He does not state whether the
frame was moved automatically or pushed along by
hand ; but the operation of the cutters and their appli-
cation to the work was much on the same principle as
the Daniels planer of the present time. In a descrip-
tion of the gutter-cutting machine, he says : " Cutters
were used instead of saws, and were attached to a cast-
iron block by means of bolts and nuts. Four such
blocks were required to form the gutter, and were fixed
to four separate spindles, and, by the action of drums
upon them, were set in rapid motion by means of
bands. A piece of timber exposed to the action of
these cutters must evidently be scooped out into the
form of the outline of the cutters. Any great variety
of section can be given to the timber."

It would, seem, from a further description of this
machine, that some kind of automatic feed was after-
wards attached to it ; for further along in his description
he says: "The piece of timber is placed upon a roller,
and pushed onward until it comes in contact with
another roller, furnished with projecting points, which
seize it and help to propel it forward, causing the timber
to move much steadier than before, the timber at the
same time being held down to the cutters by a hold-
fast." After all of these improvements were completed,
he says : '^By this machine, three feet of gutter would be
made per minute. This machine was a modification of the
same one which was used by Mr. Paxton at Chatsworth

EARLY INVENTIONS, IMPROVEMENTS, ETC. 5

for making sash-bars ; and the improvements were made
by Mr. Birch. In Mr. Birch's improved machine,
cutter-heads were substituted for saws, and, by the addi-
tion of cutter-heads acting on each side of the stuff, all
sides of the piece were worked simultaneously. A cut
of this machine is shown in TomHnson's " Cyclopsedia,"
published in 185 1, which, however, only represents
one pair of four-sided cylinders, one above the plank and
one below it, each having four separate cutters attached,
and each cutter having the outhne of that particular
part of the sash-bar which it is intended to work ; so
that the pieces, when stuck, contained a section equal
to four bars. Behind the cylinders were five circular
saws, attached to one arbor and placed far enough apart
to correspond to the width of each bar and divide it,
after passing the cylinders, in just the proper places to
form four perfect bars at one operation. This cut also
represents two feed-rolls, one on each side of the cylin-
ders acting upon the upper side of the lumber ; but
whether there were rolls below or not, the cut does not
show; but, judging from its appearance, the probability
is that there were none, and that the stuff passed over
a table and was propelled forward partly by the action
of the rolls with some help from the operator. It re-
quired about two hundred miles of sash-bars, according
to the report, to complete the building; and as the
contractors, Messrs. Fox & Henderson, had bound
themselves in a contract to complete the building in
four months, it was thought by many to be a gigantic
undertaking to furnish that quantity of sash-bars in so
short a time. The work was accomplished, however,
and Mr, Birch obtained an enviable reputation for his

6 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

skill and energy. The report does not state just how
long he was in completing the job, but simply states that
the sash-bars were all finished in time. Now, suppose
we give him three months, of twenty-six days each, and
ten hours to the day : it would then only require a feed
of about five feet per minute to complete the work.
The report, however, says that " This powerful machine
worked with untiring energy night and day until the
work was completed." If such was the case, the proba-
bility is that the feed did not exceed two feet per
minute. .

WILLIAM WOOD WORTH'S FIRST MACHINE,

CHAPTER II.

AUTOMATIC FEED-ROLLS— WILLIAM WOODWORTH—
HIS FIRST MACHINE— PLANING-MILL MONOPOLY
COMMENCED.

Having traced the progress and development of
wood-working machinery in England down to the time
of the building of the great Crystal Palace, or exhibi-
tion building, and noting the machines that were in use
at that time, it would seem that, if other and more
improved machines were in use or known at that time,
Mr. Paxton, the architect, or Messrs. Fox & Hender-
son, the contractors, would have called them into re-
quisition ; as the immense quantity of material that
required to be dressed in so short a time as was allotted
to them to complete the work of so large a structure
would have warranted them in adopting the latest and
most approved machinery for that purpose, which no
doubt they did. It is very doubtful whether rotary
cutters were known or used either in England or France
previous to 1826 ; and even if they were, there were no
attempts to combine their use with automatic feed-rolls
until long after this time. The first attempt of this
kind in this country that we have any record of was a
machine invented by Hill ; but, from some imperfections
in its construction, after repeated trials it was abandoned
and passed into the list of abandoned experiments.

About the same time WilHam Woodworth, an old

S HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

carpenter residing in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and who
was familiarly known among the carpenters as " Uncle
Billy," was experimenting upon the same thing in an
old saw-mill situated in the lower part of the town, near
the river, and not far from where the old Whaling-
dock was afterwards located. The old mill and Whal-
ing-dock have long since disappeared, but their loca-
tion will no doubt be still remembered by some of
the older residents of that beautiful city upon the
Hudson.

His first machine was patented December 27, 1828.
In this machine there was no -other device for holding
the lumber down to the bed while being planed except
the feed-rolls; but as they were placed very close to
the cutter-head, they answered the purpose very well,
except upon the ends of the boards as they entered
the machine before reaching the second pair of rolls
located on the other side of the cylinder. The same
difificultywas experienced with the latter end of the
board as it passed out of the machine after leaving
the first, or leading-in, rollers. This had the effect of
causing about six inches upon each end of the board
to be planed thinner than the middle ; and in order to
use it in laying floors so as to present a uniform,
smooth surface, it was necessary to cut about six
inches off both ends of the piece.

After the side-cutters were introduced and applied to
the machine, it became necessary to move the feed-
rolls farther apart in order to make room for them ;
then the difficulty became so great that it was found
necessary to introduce another small roll immediately
behind the cylinder, to overcome this defect. It is

WILLIAM WOOD IVOR TH' 3 FIRST MACHINE. 9

I quite evident that this small roll was not introduced
; until some time after the patent was granted ; for in the
! original specification and drawings there is nothing

shown or described to indicate that this was any part
; of the original invention; and being, as it proved after-

II wards, so important an element in the combination, if it
1 had been known at the time it would have been shown

in the drawing and mentioned in the specification.
In describing his invention he says : " The first
i of my invention relates to the combination of rotary
cutters and feeding-rollers in such a manner that the
' said feeding-rollers shall be capable of feeding the
lumber to the cutters, and also of effectually resisting
the tendency of the cutters to draw the lumber up-
wards towards them ; the object of this part of my in-
vention being to reduce the lumber operated upon to
a uniforinity of thickness, and to givQ it a planed and
I even surface upon one side thereof. The second part
\ of my invention relates to the combination, with feed-
] ing-rollers and rotary cutters, for planing one of the
principal surfaces of the lumber ; and of rotary matching
cutters so as to form a tongue or groove, or both, upon
the edge or edges of the lumber at the same time that
one of its principle surfaces is planed." This patent,
under the conditions of the old patent law, was granted
for fourteen years, and expired December 27, 1842, but
was extended for a further term of seven years under a
provision of the same law which provides that, upon
the expiration of the original patent, if the patentee
could show, to the satisfaction of the commissioner of
patents, that he had used due diligence in bringing his
invention before the public, and that he had not been

10 HISTORY OF THE PLANlNG-MILL.

able to realize a sufficient compensation for his time,
labor, and expenses in introducing it, he was entitled to
a further extension of seven years.

It is very doubtful whether William Woodworth had
made any money out of his invention up to this time.
The feeling among the journeymen carpenters was so
strong against it that, when the first machine was put
in operation, the old saw-mill in which it was located
had to be watched constantly both day and night for
several months to prevent them from burning it down.
Another reason was the want of means to introduce it.
Mr. Woodworth having but little means to begin with,
and that had all been spent in perfecting his invention,
and as almost every one looked upon it with suspicion,
as is often the case with other new inventions, the
consequence was that very few planing-mills were in
operation at that time.

After the patent was extended, finding that he could
not interest capitalists into it and obtain the necessary
means to successfully introduce it to the public, he
determined to sell it out for what he could get. He
finally succeeded in selling it out to three or four differ-
ent parties, who were each assigned a certain territory.
It is not definitely known just what he realized from
the sale of this valuable patent, but it was reported at
that time that he realized in all about five thousand
dollars. The New England States were assigned to
Samuel Schenck, the Middle States to John Gibson, of
Albany, N. Y.; and the Western States to Samuel Pitts,
of Detroit, Mich. These parties were all men of con-
siderable means, and at once began to take the proper
measures for introducing it among the lumbermen in

PLANING-MILL MONOPOLY COMMENCED. II

their respective territories. Gibson started a large shop
at Albany for their manufacture, and also a large plan-
ing-mill where machines could always be seen in suc-
cessful operation.

The owners of the patent must have discovered some
defect or weak points in the original patent, one of
which was no doubt the small roll behind the cylinder,
which was indispensable for the successful working of
the machine. In July, 1845, the original patent was
surrendered and a reissue obtained ; and in the reissued
patent the small roll is not only shown in the drawings,
but is also mentioned in the specifications and claims
in combination with the other original elements. From
this time, the prejudices of the workmen and their
opposition having ceased, the demand for planing-
machines increased rapidly, and hundreds of mills were
started in different localities, principally, however,- in
the cities and large towns.

The owners of the patent, it would seem, must have
had an understanding with each other not to sell any
territorial rights, and only to license a certain number
of machines for each city or town, giving each mill-
owner the exclusive right for a given amount of terri-
tory, for which they were required to pay a certain
royalty on each thousand feet planed. They also regu-
lated the price to be charged to their customers, bind-
ing them in a contract not to vary from that price
under penalty of forfeiting their license. The price in
the State of New York was fixed at seven dollars per
thousand feet for planing and matching, and the royalty
for each thousand feet so planed and matched was three
dollars. What the prices were and the royalties paid in

12 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

other territories is not distinctly known ; but probably
it did not vary much from the amount just mentioned.
Each mill-owner was required to render an account
every three months for the amount of lumber dressed,-
and verify the same under oath, and pay the royalty
thereon within ten days from the date thereof.

This, it will be seen, soon created almost a complete j
monopoly in the lumber business — at least as far as j
dressed lumber was concerned, for every planing-mill
owner had a lumber-yard attached ; and, while the cost
to him for planing and matching his own lumber was
but a small sum over what he paid as royalty, his neigh-
bor was shut out from obtaining a planing-machine,
and was obliged to pay seven dollars per thousand for
all the dressed flooring he sold. In some of the large
towns, when it was thought there was sufficient busi-
ness to warrant it, two mills would be allowed ; and in
that case the monopoly of the lumber trade for that
town would be divided between the two. But as the
owners of the patent controlled the prices, there was
no opportunity for competition between them so far
as the price of planing was concerned.

This state of things naturally stimulated inventive
genius to endeavor to invent devices for accomplishing
the same work and avoid the Woodworth patent,
which had already become such a monopoly. Among
the most prominent of those devices was the machine
patented by Joseph E. Andrews, November i, 1845.
In this machine, rotary cutters were used, but the orig-
inal drawings represent two endless aprons, one each
side of the cylinder and working above the lumber for
the purpose of holding it down ; while below, another

PLANING-MILL MONOPOLY COMMENCED. 1 3

endless apron extended the whole length of the
machine, passing under the cylinder, and upon which
the board rested. This was intended to evade the
patent by dispensing with the feed-rolls, thereby break-
ing up the combination. Flat pressure-bars, one each
side of the cylinder, were applied to prevent the board
from vibrating while being acted upon by the cutters.
The endless aprons as a reliable feed proved a failure,
and they were abandoned, and feed-rolls were substi-
tuted for feeding purposes, retaining the fiat pressure-
bars for holding down the stuff.

Although Andrews claimed that, dispensing with
the roll for holding down the lumber, and substituting
the flat pressure-bar, the same elements of the Wood-
worth combination were not used, and the ruling of
the courts in cases of claims that were combinations was
that, in order to infringe a combination claim, precisely
the same devices and elements must be used, under
these rulings, Andrews claimed the pressure-bar as a
new element, and consequently a new combination.

Suits, however, were commenced as soon as this
machine was put in successful operation, for infringe-
ment, which were decided against it in every case.
Judge Blatchford, in deciding one case, makes use of
the following language : " The substitution of smooth
plates of iron, operated by springs or screws, to press
down the boards upon the bed while being planed, in
place of a pressure roll or rolls, is not a substantial de-
parture from the Woodworth device for the same pur-
pose " (see Gibson vs. Betts, i Blatchford, 164; N. Y.
1846: also Gibson vs. Harris, i Blatchford, 170; N. Y.
1846).

14 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

The courts in every suit having decided against the
Andrews machine, it was evident that a successful
working machine with rotary cutters, without feed-rolls,
could not be produced. Inventors then turned their
attention to other devices ; and prominent among them
was the planing-machine invented and patented by
Joseph V. Woodbury in the year 1849. I^^ this
machine, the knives were fastened to a stationary knife-
stock, placed at about the same angle as a hand-plane
and provided with a cap or double iron much in the
same manner. The lumber was forced through the
machine, and brought in contact with the knives by a
powerful train of feed-rolls. In some of them there were
as many as six knives, so arranged and set that each
knife cut off a certain amount of the stock, the last knife
taking a very fine cut, so as to finish the surface and
leave it smooth.

This machine was quite expensive, and required extra
care and skill to operate it. On dry, straight-grained,
clear lumber it performed excellent work ; but with
cross-grained, knotty lumber the work was not so suc-
cessful, and those that were in use were abandoned as
soon as the Woodworth planer came into general use
without the payment of royalty.

MORE SUITS FOR INFRINGEMENTS. I 5

CHAPTER III.

OTHER INVENTIONS— 3I0RE SUITS FOR INFRINGE-
MENTS—THE PATENT RENEWED BY SPECIAL
ACT OF CONGRESS— 7HE NORCROSS PLANER—
THAT PA TENT SUSTAINED.

The excessive royalty demanded by the owners of
the Woodworth patent still acted as an induceraent
not only to inventors to discover some machine that
would do the work without infringing this patent, but
was also an inducement to that portion of the public
outside of the -monopoly to encourage them by pur-
chasing those machines in order to get rid of the exor-
bitant prices demanded for dressing their lumber.

In addition to the machines heretofore mentioned,
there was the McGregor machine, patented in 1846.
The Beckwith and the Gay machines, in Pennsylvania,
were gotten up about the same time, besides the
Brown machine, in Massachusetts, each with its own
peculiar devices, which were supposed to evade the
Woodworth patent, — all of which were stopped by in-
junctions and declared infringements soon after being
put in operation.

In the mean time the Norcross machine was put in
use ; and this was the first and only machine among
the whole number that stood the test of a suit and was
decided not to infringe the Woodworth patent. But as
we shall have occasion to refer to this machine here-
after, we leave it for the present,

l6 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

As the time was drawing near when this patent
would expire, and as the owners had all made large
fortunes out of it, it was natural to suppose that when
the time expired, which would be in 1849, i^ would be
allowed to die a quiet and peaceful death, the owners
would retire, and the monopoly would come to an end.
But the public were doomed to disappointment.
The owners, although all of them had made large for-
tunes out of the patent, were not yet satisfied ; and, as
they were men of considerable influence, their money
and influence together had been quietly at work for
more than a year previous to this time for a further
extension. It was too good a thing to allow it to die
a natural death if money and influence could prolong
its life for another term of seven years ; and while the
public, or at least that portion of it interested in plan-
ing-mill machinery, was quietly waiting for its death,
the most skilful physicians in the shape of lobbyists
were employed and furnished with unlimited means
for prolonging its life. How well they succeeded may
be found in the special act of Congress which fastened
the same monopoly upon them for another term of
seven years. There was rejoicing among the monopo-
Hsts — not only the owners of the patent, but also the
owners of planing-mills which were so situated as to
monopolize the lumber trade in certain localities.
These men had also liberally contributed, both in
money and influence, to bring about this event ; and
many were the wine-suppers given on this occasion.
There v/as cursing and gnashing of teeth among those
outside of the ring, to commemorate this event, also.
It was currently reported at that tirne that John Gibson^

MORE SUITS FOR INFRINGEMENTS. 1 7

of Albany, N. Y., who was reputed to have been worth
over one million dollars, and who spent nearly the whole
winter of 1848 and 1849 ""^ Washington, contributed, in
one way and another, over two hundred and fifty thou-
sand dollars for that purpose as his share of the neces-
sary expenses attending it. And if this was true, and
others who were interested as well as himself con-
tributed as liberally as he was reported to have done,
somebody, either in or out of Congress, must have
made " some pin-money for their wives, you know," for
of course no one in Congress at that time would be
suspected of taking any money to influence their vote.
Oh no !

As before stated, from the time of the reissue, in
1845, there had been repeated attempts made to break
down the reissued patent ; and many suits were de-
fended upon the plea that in the reissued patent there
were new elements introduced that were not shown or
described in the original patent, one of which was the
small pressure-roll behind the cyHnder to hold down
the lumber v/hile being planed, especially at the ends
as the boards were entering in or passing out from
between the feed-rolls. It would seem as if this point
should have been a good one fort for the defence ; as
the records of the Patent Office, both in the original draw-
ing and model, do not show it, neither do the specifica-
tions mention it. But notwithstanding this and the
plea of irregularity in the assignment which was pre-
sented and argued by able counsel in the suits of
Brooks V. Becknell in Ohio, Washburn v. Gould, and
Woodworth v. Wilson, with several others on record
which might be referred to, in every case the claims of

1 8 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the reissued patent were sustained and judgments
taken against the defendants.

The Norcross machine had now made it sappearance;
and the owners of this patent were manufacturing this
machine openly, and putting it in the market in defi-
ance of the claims of the Woodworth monopoly. Suits
were, however, commenced against it for infringement
at a later date and but a year or two before the ex-
tended term of the Woodworth patent "would expire.

After a short trial, to the surprise of every one who
was any way familiar with planing-machines, it was de-
cided that the Norcross machine did not infringe the
Woodworth patent. The court which rendered that
decision must have looked through something else than
his glasses if he examined the machine personally;
otherwise he w^ould have discovered in the aforesaid
machine more of a direct infringement than many
others which had been stopped by injunctions.

The claims of the Woodworth patent, it will be re-
membered, were for the combination of feeding-rollers
and rotary cutters. Both of these elements were used,
precisely in the same manner, by Norcross ; the only
difference in the machines were, Woodworth's planed on
the upper side of the board, while the Norcross cylin-
der was below and planed upon the under side of it.
But as far as the arrangement of feed-rolls was con-
cerned, there was no difference whatever in the two
machines.

As many of the younger planing-mill owners, as well
as operators, may not remember the old Norcross, I
submit a brief description of its construction and ope-
ration,

MORE SUITS FOR INFRINGEMENTS. 1 9

Upon a frame very similar to the Woodworth machine
was mounted one pair of feed-rolls somewhat larger in
size than those used by the latter machine for the same
purpose. Both upper and lower rolls were geared to-
gether by the same old-fashioned system of '' star or fin-
ger gears," as they were called, and which allowed the
rolls to expand or contract sufficient to accommodate the
varying thickness of the same lumber, and the top rolls
were forced down upon the stuff by the same system of
weights and levers. When the machine required chang-
ing for the purpose of planing thicker or thinner lum-
ber, different-sized gears were provided, and were
changed from time to time, as frequent as the thickness
of the lumber required it.

Behind these rolls, and in as close proximity as possi-
ble, was the bed-plate, reaching across the machine, the
ends resting upon the frame, to which it was securely
bolted. This bed-plate was provided with an opening,
or slot, running lengthwise with it across the machine,
similar to the bed of the bottom cylinder in a modern-
style planer, and the cylinder was placed underneath it,
the knives working through the aforesaid slot and act-
ing upon the under side of the board substantially the
same ; the lumber being held down by a heavy press-
plate resting upon it.

Instead of the cylinder being fixed to the frame, or
permanently attached to the bed-plate, as in the under
cylinder of the modern planer, provision had to be
made for the varying thickness of the lumber and to re-
duce it all to the same thickness. In order to accom-
plish this object, the cylinder-boxes were attached to
the upper press-plate, which rested upon the upper, or

20 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

rough, side of the board and was secured to it by means
of arms passing down through the main bed-plate, to
which the cyHnder-boxes were attached.

It will be seen, by this arrangement, that the distance
between the upper press-plate and the cutting-edge of
the cylinder-knife must determine the thickness of the
board after being planed.

To adjust the machine for planing the several differ-
ent thicknesses of lumber, cast-iron blocks, or, more
properly speaking, parallel strips which were planed the
right thickness, were furnished and inserted between the
points where the upper press-plate was connected to
the cylinder-boxes, and the whole securely fastened by
bolts passing through the whole; thus forming a strong
frame, and, working in heavy, strong uprights, into
which they were nicely fitted, left it free to work and
allow the cylinder to rise and fall according to the
varying thickness of the lumber, at the same time gaug-
ing the thickness according to the thickness of the
blocks.

Here was the direct combination of feeding-rollers
and rotary cutters just as perfect as could be found in
the Woodworth machine ; and when suit was brought
against it, even the parties who had purchased and
were using it expected to be stopped by injunctions,
and openly expressed their opinion that their machines
were direct infringements, and that it would only be a
question of time when they would be compelled to stop.
But as the owners of the Norcross patent were men of
undoubted responsibility, and had bound themselves in
a contract, with each party sold to, to guarantee them
against all costs and damages in case of suit and they

THE NOR CROSS PLANER. 21

were defeated, so the only course for the mill-owners
was to run as long as they could and make all they
could out of it while it lasted, and then look to the
owners of the Norcross patent to indemnify them for
future damages.

No one was more surprised at the decision of the
court than these same mill-owners, many of whom had
been estopped by injunction from using the Andrews
and other similar machines. It would have been a hard
matter to have made some of those old planing-mill
men, who were well posted with nearly all such devices,
believe that the whole thing was not a put-up job
between the owners of the respective patents.

The fact was, the Norcross patent had passed into
the hands of men who had wealth and influence; and
the owners of the Woodworth patent had in contempla-
tion another effort for a further extension of their
patent, and they feared the influence of the Norcross
interest when that time arrived, providing the latter
succeeded against their patent.

The Norcross owners were secretly in favor of an ex-
tension of the Woodworth patent, provided they could
be left at liberty to manufacture and sell their own
machine.

It was admitted on all sides that the Woodworth was
far the superior both as to quantity and quality of work,
and, while the lumber was planed and matched upon the
Woodworth machine at one operation, the Norcross
system required two separate machines — one for plan-
ing and another for matching.

But people who could not procure a Woodworth
machine were willing to put up with those inconve-

22 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

niences rather than pay the exorbitant price of seven
dollars per thousand feet for dressing their lumber ; and,
further, while the Woodworth patent was in exist-
ance there would be a steady demand for the Norcross
machine for reasons already given. But if the former
were thrown open to the public, so that every one who
desired might obtain a Woodworth machine without
royalty, every one would prefer that machine and there
would be no demand for the Norcross — which subsequent
events fully verified.

On the other hand, the owners of the Woodworth
patent had so many machines in use that were paying
them royalty, and would, in all probability, continue to
do so after the patent was extended, that the compara-
tively small number of machines that Norcross would
put into the market during that time would do them but
little harm so far as their income^ from royalties was
concerned. Besides, as before stated, the Norcross had
no matchers attached ; and being only a surface-planer,
the lumber, after being planed, required to be cut up
and run through a separate machine for matching, thus
adding, to the cost of dressing, the expense of twice
handling.

So it is evident that both parties, each acting from
different motives, were in favor of another extension of
this great monopoly.

FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE MONOPOLY. 23

CHAPTER IV.

APPLICATION FOR A FURTHER EXTENSION— FOR-
MIDABLE REMONSTRANCE— DEFE A T OF THE
ME A S URE—IMPR 0 VEMEN TS, E TC.

The public, however, was not to be duped again by
resting supinely upon its back until the enemy had a
second time bound it hand and foot.

The manner in which the Norcross matter was set-
tled, with many other things which transpired, created
suspicion in the minds of those who were watching the
movements of the monopoly ; and when it became def-
initely known that they were quietly moving for
another extension, by a special act of Congress, ar-
rangements were made by the lumber-dealers outside
of the monopoly with the publishers of the Scientific
American^ a well-k>^own journal with an extensive cir-
culation, and well known to the mechanical com-
munity, and which was known to be bitterly opposed
to the monopoly or its extension, to print and send out
to each subscriber a form of protest against any further
extension of the patent.

These documents were accordingly sent out to each
subscriber with a request that they not only sign it
themselves, but to solicit all who were in any way
interested in lumber to sign it also, and return the
same to their office by a certain date. These protests
were all arranged and attached to a strong printed pro-

24 HISTORY OF THE PLANING- MILL.

test and petition to Congress against any further exten-
sion of the Woodworth patent. This formidable docu-
ment, containing between fourteen and fifteen thou-
sand names, was forwarded to Washington to a trusty
member of Congress, who was to present it at the
proper time, provided the subject was brought before*
that body.

Congress assembled December i, 1856, and the ex-
tended patent had but twenty-seven days longer to run
before it would expire.

Gibson and others were ' on hand, backed by a host
of the most expert lobbyists and plenty of money, and
succeeding so far as to get a bill introduced early in
the session to extend the patent for a further term of
seven years from December 27, 1856.

But when the remonstrance was presented, about
the time when it came up for action, which resembled
a roll of carpet more than a public document, they con-
cluded not to read it, but to unroll and measure it,
when it was found to contain two columns of closely-
written names fifty feet long. This formidable docu-
ment, coming, as it did, from their constitutents in all
parts of the United States, without regard to party or
politics, was too big a pill for them to swallow, and the
result was that the great monopoly was totally routed.
And this ended the career of the Woodworth patent.

Gibson, who was currently reported to have spent
another quarter of a million in his endeavors to pro-
long the monopoly, returned to Albany in a frame of
mind that can better be imagined than described. He
imm^ediately employed an attorney to travel all over
his territory and visit every sash, door, and blind

FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE MONOPOLY. 2$

factory, besides other mills, which had used anything in
the shape of rotary cutters in combination with feed-
rolls, whether it be a planer, sticker, moulding-ma-
chine, or anything else, and demand a settlement and
payment of royalty from the time they had com-
menced using the same up to December 27, 1856, or
to commence suit against them at once.

Previous to this time, no notice had been taken of
those small machines for sash and door work. The
owners of the patent had confined themselves strictly
to planing-mills, and had, by tacit consent, allowed
these machines to be run for years without any intima-
tion that royalty would ever be demanded from them ;
and when it became known that such action was to be
taken, it created a profound sensation among that
class of wood-workers.

Some parties who were timid in the matter were
frightened into a settlement ; while others, among
whom was the writer, refused, not only to make a set-
tlement, but advised him to invite Mr. Gibson to ac-
company him to a certain place where the climate was
much warmer than Albany. A few suits were com-
menced ; but public sentiment had become so strong
against the monopoly that I am not aware of any of
them ever coming to trial. And it is not known to the
writer just how much money his attorney obtained in
this manner, — whether enough to pay his travelling
expenses or not, — but one thing is well known : that
this course of proceedings on the part of Mr. Gibson
rendered him so odious in public opinion that, al-
though he had a large stock of planing-machines on
hand at his factory in Albany, he could not find sale

26 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

for them, while other shops which had started in the busi-
ness were running nights to keep up with their orders.
His old customers would buy almost anything rather
than have any dealings with him, and he was finally
obliged to sell out his business, together with the stock
on hand ; and they were purchased by Mr. Daniel
Doncaster, a gentleman of fine mechanical abilities,
and who had for many years acted as his foreman, and
was well liked by his former customers. Mr. Don-
caster continued the business successfully for many
years after. Gibson afterwards retired to a farm in
Steuben County, owned by his wife, and died a few
years since, comparatively poor.

Mr. Schenck removed his patterns and special tools
to Matteawan, N. Y., as early as 1840, and the Schenck
machine, as it was called, was manufactured there. But
whether there was any arrangement with Gibson for
the sale of those machines in his territory does not
appear ; but from the fact that there were no Schenck
machines met with in this State previous to 1856, the
supposition is that they were sold east in his own terri-
tory or in territory owned by other parties who did
not manufacture.

The Matteawan Company, as it was called, continued
the manufacture of planing-machines as a part of their
business long after the patent expired, and until that
company went out of the business by failure. The
tools and patterns pertaining to that part of the busi-
ness went into the possession of John B. Schenck, and
the business was conducted by him until his death,
when his sons continued it under the firm name of
John B. Schenck's Sons.

IMPROVEMENTS, ETC, 2/

Mr. Pitts, of Detroit, Mich., was never engaged in
the manufacture of planing-machines personally, but
allowed his customers who desired to take a license
under the patent in his territory to purchase their
machines wherever they preferred ; he simply collecting
the royalty on the amount of lumber planed by them.
He owned and operated a large mill in Detroit, and,
later, started one at Saginaw, Mich. Mr. Pitts, although
possessed of a large fortune, was a very liberal-minded
gentleman and business man, and died about 1870,
universally respected by all who were acquainted with
him. The writer had considerable dealings with him
in 1863-4 by furnishing him a number of machines,
and became personally acquainted with him ; and as
those transactions were of the most satisfactory char-
acter, they are still remembered with pleasure.

Having traced the three original owners of the Wood-
worth patent to the end of their connection with it, we
now return again to the planer as it was constructed
by the original manufacturers.

The Woodworth planer previous to 1856, although
it had been the bone of many contentions, was still a
very crude and imperfect machine, as compared with
those of the present time. In fact, there seemed to
be no disposition on the part of those engaged in its
manufacture to make any improvements : they seemed
to carry out the idea that they were good enough ; and,
as there was no competition, their customers could take
it as it was or do without it. As soon, however, as
the patent expired and was open to the public, new
manufacturers started, and one improvement followed
another, many of which were the subjects of new patents.

28 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

until the whole machine has become so changed in its
appearance and construction that it is a question if
William Woodworth, could he return to this earth,
would recognize it as the offspring of his original
invention.

The planing-machines manufactured by Gibson,
Schenck, and others previous to 1856 were provided
with straight uprights for the cylinder-boxes, and the
cylinder worked up and down as it was required to be
raised or lowered for the purpose of dressing thick or
thin stuff, and worked at right angles to the frame.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that if the
belts were of the proper tension for planing lumber
three fourths of an inch thick, they would be too short
when the cylinder was raised sufficiently above the bed
to admit of planing two-inch stuff. The common prac-
tice was to keep short pieces of belt the right length to
make up the difference ; and when it was required to
plane thick lumber, these pieces were added to the
belts and taken out again when the work was finished
and the use of the machine required for thinner stuff.

Again, the finger or star gearing that was used to con-
nect the top and bottom rolls would only allow of an
expansion of about one half an inch, and were not practi-
cal to use on different thicknesses of lumber ; conse-
quently, whenever a change from one thickness to an-
other was required, these gears required to be changed
also. There were several sets of them always ready
for use, and it was no uncommon thing for the opera-
tor to be obliged to change them half a dozen times
during the day.

The small pressure-roll behind the cylinder was an-

IMPROVEMENTS, ETC, 29

other very inconvenient arrangement. The adjustment
of it was separate from the adjustment of the cylin-
der, and required to be set every time the cyhnder was
changed; and frequently the machine would require stop-
ping several times before a proper adjustment of this roll
would be obtained. The cylinder-belts, also, ran inside
of the frame, which required the width of the frame to
be from eighteen to twenty inches wider, in proportion
to the width of the cylinder, than the modern machine.

A modern operator of planing-machines would form
rather an unfavorable opinion of a machine so con-
structed that, if a job requiring a few hundred feet of
thick stuff to be planed, before he could finish that
part of the job, would require both cylinder-belts to be
taken off and a piece put in each, then change all the
gears upon the feed-rolls, besides stopping two or three
times to adjust the small roll behind the cylinder, to-
gether with all the rods and screws connecting the top
feed-rolls with the weighted levers below, spending per-
haps an hour or two in order to put the machine in
proper shape to do perhaps one half hour's work, he
would not only realize that great improvements had
been made in the modern machine, but wonder that
they were not made sooner. But, as before intimated,
the poHcy of the owners of the patent were such as to
effectually shut out all improvements as long as the
patent was in force.

In the machines that were brought out in 1857, the
frames were narrowed up so as to allow the cylinder-
belts to run outside of the frame, thus rendering them
more compact and requiring less room. The uprights
which supported the cylinder-boxes were placed at right

30 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

angles to the driving-shaft, so that, in changing from
one thickness of stuff to another, but Httle, if any, dif-
ference was noticed in the tension of the belts. The
small roll behind the cylinder was attached to the
cylinder-boxes, so that it was adjustable with the cylin-
der, and, when once adjusted, required no further ad-
justment when the cylinder was raised or lowered to
accommodate the different thicknesses of stuff.

The dif^culty in keeping the small pressure-roll in
front of the cylinder free from the small particles of
gum which accumulated upon its surface, and which
marred the face of the planed lumber, led most of the
manufacturers to adopt the flat pressure-bar — an old
device, which was used many years previous on the
Andrews machine. This device was at first objected to
upon the supposition that the friction upon the surface
would obstruct the feed ; but subsequent use proved
these objections to be unfounded, and soon after 1857
the pressure-bar came into general use upon all first-
class machines.

BROWN EXTENSION-GEARS. 3^

CHAPTER V.

BRO WN EXTENSION-GEARS— 0 THER IMPRO YEMEN TS
— B URLEIGH'S PA TENT DIMENSION-PLANER —
HENRY D. STOVERS CELEBRATED CLAIM.

We stated in the last chapter that, previous to the
time when the Woodworth patent expired, very few
improvements had been made upon the original ma-
chine. With the exception of the Brown extension-
gears, which were applied to it a short time previous,
and which superseded the star or finger gears, the ma-
chine, in its general features, was about the same as
when first completed by the original owners. But as
soon as the extended patent expired, the inventive
genius of the whole country, or at least that portion
of it who were in any way interested, seemed to turn
their attention in that direction ; and there was no end
to the alleged improvements that were brought out
and patented within a few years after this event.
Some were practical and useful, some really valuable ;
but a large portion were of so trifling a nature that
they were never heard of afterwards, and probably
never known to any one but the inventor and the
examiner at the Patent Office.

The examiners at the Patent Office at that time seem
to have granted about everything that was applied for,
without giving themselves the trouble to look up and
ascertain whether the thing appHed for was new and

3 2 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

useful, or whether it had been patented previously or
not ; as we find, in the time between 1856 and i860,
several patents granted for the same thing, and dated
so near the same time that they all must have been
pending in the Office at the same time.

One of the earliest patents we notice that came into
use was one which was granted to James A. Woodburg,
of Boston, Mass:, for a plan for moving both matcher-
heads by means of two separate screws. As the old
Woodworth machine moved one matcher-head by a
screw, the simple fact of attaching another screw to
the other head for the purpose of moving that also was
a mere duplication of parts, and, under the present
ruling of the Patent Office, would not be considered an
invention, and, consequently, not patentable.

The improved extension-gears invented by Charles
Burleigh, of Fitchburg, Mass., and assigned to the
Putnam Machine Co., was really a good invention, and
was an improvement over the Brown gears, and over-
came certain objections to that device. „, It consisted in
forming one end of the links that confined the idle or
loose gears to those attached to the roller-shaft in the
form of the segment of a circle of the same radius as
the idle gears, with teeth or cogs formed upon the out-
side circumference so as to engage each other; and,
when confined in this position by the cross-strap that
kept them in gear, when the top roll was raised or
lowered to accommodate the varying thickness of the
lumber, those links worked together upon the same
centre as the gears, thus always keeping them in the
same relative position to each other, no matter what
the position of the rolls might be.

HENRY D. STOVER'S CELEBRATED CLAIM. 33

The dimension-planer known as the Gray & Wood
planer was patented January 24, i860, just about one
month after the celebrated Stover patent was issued,
which we shall soon notice. The Gray & Wood planer
is so well known among wood-workers that a descrip-
tion of it is deemed unnecessary, except so far as to
illustrate the loose manner in which the business of the
Patent Office was conducted at that time. The Gray
& Wood planer, as is well known, is a modification of the
old Daniels planer, which had long been in use ; and their
improvements consisted in the application of a Wood-
worth cylinder to plane the lumber lengthwise of the
grain, instead of the arms of the Daniels, which worked
crosswise, using the same sliding table as the Daniels.
They also applied feed-rolls so that the lumber could
be fed through the machine while the platen remained
stationary, or the feed-works could be readily removed
and the platen used in their stead when it was desirable
to take the lumber out of wind. Their claims were
few, and appear to be confined to just what they in-
vented and-nothing more.

Now, just about one month previous (December 18,
i860) the Patent Office had granted to Henry D.
Stover a patent for the same thing ; which not only
covered everything which he had invented but every-
thing which others had invented or could invent —
principally the latter : and these two claims must have
both been pending in the Office at the same time.

While Mr. Gray is somewhat modest in his claims,
and seems only to cover what he invented, Mr. Henry
D. Stover goes in for the " whole hog." As this patent
is such a remarkable one, and deserves to go into the

34 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

history of planing-mill machinery, we give the claims
in full, as a historical curiosity. In the specification
he say :

" The claim and engravings will explain the nature of
this invention. [No one will doubt that fact when he has
read them.]

" First, I claim the combination of cutting-cylinders
{p) and cross-head {in), with two or more screws (e) for
raising and lowering the cutting-cylinders evenly and
parallel to the face of the platen.

" I also claim to so pocketing or encasing the raising
and lowering screws {e) in the uprights {c) that dust and
shavings will be effectually excluded, whether the ma-
chine is in operation or not.

" 1 also claim so constructing the cutting-cylinders {o)
as to receive four or more cutting-blades (Pj, each im-
parting a shearing or drawing stroke or cut ; and, at
the same time, for convenience in construction and ease
in sharpening and securing the blade to the- head.

" I also claim forming the portion of the cutter-head
immediately back of the edges of the cutting-blades, —
an angle varying from 5° to 45° from the face of the
cutting-blades, — to constitute a solidly, variable, and
efficient cap to the cutting-blades.

" I also claim so constructing, connecting, and arrang-
ing the sliding journal-boxes (T) with cross-head {111)^
which carries the cutting-cylinder (^), by means of rods
{it\ that, when the cutter-head is raised or lowered, these
journal-boxes will move so as to always retain a pre-
cisely equal distance between the driving-pulleys and
the driven pulleys on the cutter-head for equal tension
of the belt.

HENRY D. STOVER'S CELEBRATED CLAIM. 35

" I also claim feeding the platen back and forth by
friction-sHde {A), and wheel (/?), and rack (^), and
pinion (6^), for the purpose set forth.

'' I also claim reversing the movement of the platen
by means of screw {iri) and wheel (<?), for forcibly en-
gaging the rack by its pinion on the friction side of its
wheel.

'' I also claim sliding, moving, and attaching the
cross-head (;;^), carrying cutting-cylinder (o) on and to
the upright (Q, in and by adjustable slides {N\

'^ I also claim pivoting the journal-box (H) for the
friction feed-shaft, and giving it a vertical adjustment
to both swing and rise or fall with the feed-shaft.

" I also claim several dogs, operated independently
of each other, to effectually hold several pieces firmly
to the platen for dressing, at the same time constructed
substantially, as described.

" I also claim sliding the feed-rolls into position for
use, and removing them from the machine by means
of gib-slides, so that these rolls are always secured for
use, and yQ.t allow a free movement, and to require no
additional security.

" I also claim suspending and moving cross head for
cutting-cylinder by screws (e), which are suspended in
universal bearings ; and by universal nuts to allow a
free and untrammelled movement for adjustment and
ease in operating, and to secure the cutter-head parallel
to platen at any elevation from its surface.

" I also claim a conducting spout or trough (^4), so
constructed and connected with cross-head or other
part as to receive and conduct the shavings from the
cutting-cylinder and the machine to any part desired,

36 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

by means of the current of air set in motion by the
great velocity of the cutting-cylinder.

" I also claim an elastic pressure-roll {D^ and
scraper (74); that either can be used at pleasure, with
the elastic pressure-roll, to plane straight and out of
wind.

" I also claim the iron uprights (Q, constructed with
cavity or pocket for reception of elevating screws when
combined with bed-piece of wood-planing machines, all
substantially in the manner, or their mechanical equiva-
lents for the purpose, fully set forth and described."

This patent reminds us of the burlesque patent of
the Frenchman and his dog for hunting frogs. The
gun was strapped upon the back of the dog, which was
a pointer, and when the dog pointed at a frog the
Frenchman discharged the gun by means of a line at-
tached to the dog's tail. He first claimed the combina-
tion of the dog and gun ; second, the combination of
the gun and dog; and, finally, he claimed the dog and
gun both. If this was not a burlesque, we should say
that the claims of one patent were about as reasonable
as the other.

With all due respect to the United States Patent
Office, we do think that the genius who examined the
claims of the Stover patent (provided they were ever
examined), and passed them for issue, should have
been retired from active service for the balance of his
life upon a pension of four dollars per month. There
are other patents which we shall notice that are ridicu-
lous enough, but the Stover patent may be placed at
the head of the list.

The unsettled state of the country in 1861, and the

HENRY D. STOVER'S CELEBRATED CLAIM. Z7

almost universal depression of every branch of busi-
ness, seems to have been a check to inventive genius,
at least so far as the planing-machine was concerned.
In fact, the report of the Commissioner of Patents for
that year indicates that the business of the Patent
Office had materially decreased in that time. In his
report he says :

"The decrease in the number of patents in i86r, as
compared with the year previous, was 1479 » ^^i^ that
the expenditures for the year exceeded the receipts
$84,137.47."

The only patents that we notice for alleged improve-
ments in planing-machines was one granted to Henry
D. Stover, which was a rehash of his celebrated patent
of i860, in which he claimed, among other things,
" several dogs," which we gave in full in the preced-
ing chapter. This patent of 1861 had only ten claims;
and if any of our readers should desire to read them,
they may be found in the Patent Office reports for
1861, page 437.

38 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

CHAPTER VI.

FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS— PATENTS OF WARD-
WELL— WILLIAM H. DOANE AND OTHERS— THE
CHIP-BREAKER— EARLY HISTORY OF THE MOULD-
ING-MACHINE, ETC.

Upon a revival of the business of the country, which
commenced early in 1862, inventive genius seems to
have awakened ; and the planing-machine, as well as
other planing-mill machinery, was again a subject for
further new and useful improvements.

We notice, however, by a careful review of the busi-
ness of the Patent Office for this year, that the largest
number of patents which were granted were for imple-
ments of warfare, which seemed to be the leading sub-
ject for mechanical improvements ; and the number of
patents granted that and subsequent years for devices
for warlike purposes exceeded any other branch of
business.

The only patents of any consequence which we shall
notice at this time which were issued in 1861, was one
to C. P. S. Wardwell, of Lake Village, N. H., for
planing clapboards ; which would appear, from the
specification and drawings, to possess some new and
useful features as adapted to that particular class of
work ; still there is no apparent reason why, with a cer-
tain modification of the cutters, the same work could
not be done on any planing and matching machine.

PATENTS OF WARDWELL. 39

Another was granted to W. H. Doane and William E.
London, of Cincinnati, Ohio, for alleged improvements
in combined planing and matching machines.

In their specification they state that "The invention
relates to a method of attaching the tonguing, grooving,
and matching works of a planing-machine to a sliding
bed or ways, so that they can be instantly removed
out of the way below the top of the bed upon which
the planing-tools operate, and that the same machine
can be used for planing either wide or narrow stuff
without delay in the operation, and also for tonguing,
grooving, and planing at the same time."

There were several claims relating to the particular
mechanical devices employed to accomplish this pur-
pose which the inventors were clearly entitled to. But
the first claim was too broad, and covered a principle
which had already been in public use and on sale for
more than two years previous to their application,
and, consequently, invalid. This is the only claim
which we shall notice. It says :

" First, in a combined planing, tonguing, and groov-
ing or matching machine, so attaching the tonguing and
grooving or matching works that they may be adjusted
to a position above or below the top of the planing-bed
substantially in the manner and for the purpose de-
scribed."

This claim, when taken in its broad sense, would, as
no doubt it was intended to, cover any and all devices
for removing the matcher-spindles by dropping them
below the bed, so that in surfacing wide stuff it would
pass over the top of them.

A device for this purpose, so far as relates to the

40 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

lowering of the matcher-spindles below the bed when
surfacing, had already been in public use and on sale
for more than three years previous to this time ; and
this device was well known to the writer, and had al-
ready been applied to seventy-five or more machines
which were in public use. The same was true of many
other patents which were issued about this time, none
more conspicuous than the patents of Henry D. Stover.
In his application he was obliged to swear that he was
the original and first inventor of the several devices set
forth in his specification and mentioned in his claims.
Now, while other inventors might have made the same
affidavit — not knowing of the previous use of the same
invention — and acted in good faith, believing that they
were the original inventors of the devices named, in the
case of Stover there would be no question but what he
well knew that there was not one single original idea
to be found in the whole thing, but was picked up
here and there from other machines that had those
same devices, and that had been in use in many of them
for years previous.

It is a notorious fact, as before mentioned, that the
business of the Patent Office was so conducted at that
time that all that was required was to get together any
number of devices, no matter whether new or old,
swear to being the original inventor, make application
to the Patent Office in the prescribed form, pay the
government fee (which was the most important part of
the programme), and in due time a patent would be
forthcoming. It seemed to be the prevailing idea with
some manufacturers that if they could only secure the
authority of the government to mark the word '' pat-

PATENTS OF J, B. TARR AND OTHERS. 4 1

ented" upon a machine, or an article of any kind, it
would insure a ready sale whether the article was good
for anything or not.

There is one thing certain : the owners of many of
the patents issued about this time never attempted to
enforce their claims, for the reason, probably, that they
were well aware that, if they did attempt it against
others who were using these same devices, the
courts would set them aside ; so, many of them con-
tented themselves with blustering around and making
terrible threats, which they never intended to put in
force.

From 1862 to 1866, there were a large number of
patents granted for alleged improvements in planing-
machines ; but as most of them were for devices that
never came into general use, and our space will not
admit of a notice of all of them, we pass over until June
15, 1866, the date of the patent granted to J. B. Tarr,
of Chicago, 111., for a device for protecting the edge of
the board while being matched, and which is generally
known among planing-mill operators as the " chip-
breaker," and applied to the side-cutters. This patent
was assigned to S. A. Woods of Boston, Mass., and
applied to all subsequent machines of that manufac-
ture. This was really a valuable invention, as all plan-
ing-mill operators had long felt the necessity for some
such device to prevent the board from splitting and
slivering on the edge while being submitted to the
action of the side-cutters.

Unfortunately for the inventor, as the patent-laws
were construed at that time, the patent was not a strong
one. After describing^ his device — which consisted of

42 HISTOR V OF THE PLANING-MILL.

what he terms a mouthpiece, which was in the form of
the segment of a circle hinged upon a pin nearly oppo-
site the point in contact with the edge of the board,
and pressed against it by means of a spring, — he says :

" I claim the construction of the mouthpiece, and
the arrangement of the slide and spring in relation to
the cutter, substantially as herein described and showny

This claim, under the construction put upon the law,
and the rulings of the Patent Office in similar cases,
confined him to the particular manner in which it was
constructed, and did not prevent others from using a
similar device for the same purpose, provided it was
constructed in a different manner from that which was
shown and described.

Under this construction of the law, in January of the
next year (1867), Mr. S. M. Richardson, of Worcester,
Mass., applied for and obtained a patent for substan-
tially the same thing, which accomplished the same
purpose. In the Richardson device, instead of swing-
ing the chip-breaker or mouth-piece upon a pin, it was
worked in a circular groove, and was pressed against
the board by means of a spring. As this was a depart-
ure from the manner in which the Tarr patent was
shown and described, it could not be held as an in-
fringement of his claims.

There is no doubt but Mr. Tarr was the originator
of this device, as there is no record in the Patent Office
or elsewhere of any device of this kind previous to the
time he made his application ; and if his claims had
been properly drawn and presented to the Patent
Office, a much broader one might have been obtained
and worded so as to cover all of the many devices which

EARLY HISTORY OF THE MOULDING-MACHINE. 43

were adopted by the different manufacturers, and his
patent would have been a very valuable one.

But as it was, every manufacturer of planing-ma-
chines had a particular device of his own, differing just
enough from the original to evade its claims ; and after
the year 1866, very few machines were sent out from
the shops without some kind of a chip-breaker attached
to it.

A number of patents were granted to James. A. Wood-
bury, of Boston, Mass., duringthis and subsequent
years, some of which were new and useful. Some were
for old and well-known devices which were worked into
the claims, and some of so frivolous a nature that they
were not worth the paper they were printed upon,
one of his patents which we notice, there were a num-
ber of claims intended to cover about every piece of
the machine, whether new or old ; and when he comes
to the bottom cylinder, he says :

'' I claim the bottom cylinder when placed at or near
the end of the framed

It is well known that all bottom cylinders since the
days of the Woodworth patent were placed near the
rear end of the frame — some forward of the leading-out
rolls and some behind them. But, as the owners of
this patent never attempted to enforce it against those
who placed their bottom cylinder where they preferred,
and as each manufacturer continued to put the bottom
cylinder just where it suited him best, no court ever
had the important question to decide just where ''at
or near the end of the frame " was ; so the public are
still in profound ignorance of this important locality.

From this time (1866) down to 1870 there were but

44 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

few changes made in the planing-machine. In fact, it
had by that time about attained to a degree of perfec-
tion that required but very few changes ; and those im-
provements which were added from that time — many
of which were subjects of patents — were more for con-
venience in operating and changing than for any other
purpose.

Heavy-moulding machines were introduced about
this time, and have since become such an important
factor in the outfit of a planing-mill that they are fully
entitled to be classed under the head of planing-mill
machinery. This machine has a history of itself.
Starting, out as it did, from a very simple device for
working sash-bars, it has worked its way up to its pres-
ent proportions and usefulness by the changes in mod-
ern architecture, and by the skill of mechanical science,
stimulated constantly by the demand for a better class
of work than could be accomplished by the original
machines, and was of such a nature that it could not
be done practically upon a regular planer and matcher.

The first attempt that we have any record of in this
country for working irregular shapes by machinery,
was made by the firm of Fay & Fisher, at Lancaster,
Mass., the date of which we have not been able to ob-
tain. This machine, however, proved to be a failure,
from the manner in which the cutter-heads were con-
structed. These cutter-heads were made in the form
of a rim, resembling that of a pulley, with a solid plate
upon one side. Slots were made in this rim to allow
the cutters to project through, which were fastened to
the plate on the inside by means of screws.

The idea seemed to be to represent a common hand-

EARLY HISTORY OF THE MOULDING-MACHINE. 45

plane formed into a circle instead of being straight.
These heads were unsafe, and bursted from the cen-
trifugal strain upon them ; and after a few had been
tested, no one would use them. The same styles of
head were applied to a tenoning-machine got up by the
same firm, with the same results, and were abandoned.

In 1848, Mr. C. B. Rogers, of Norwich, Conn., com-
menced the manufacture of wood-working tools, and
soon after associated himself with Mr. J. A. Fay, who
had now located at Keene, N. H. The shop at Keene
was conducted under the firm name of J. A. Fay & Co.,
while the one at Norwich was under the firm name of
C. B. Rogers & Co. ; and the first successful working
sticker, as it was then called, was got up at the latter
place.

It was a very simple affair consisting of a wood
frame. The arbor which carried the cutter-head worked
upon centres fixed to the frame, running upon points
about one half an inch in diameter and about three
quarters of an inch long. The feed-works consisted of
one fluted. roll one and a quarter inches in diameter,
placed in front of the cutter-head and forced down upon
the stuff by an adjustable spring. This was driven, by
a set of wooden cone pulleys, from the back-shaft, so
as to reduce the speed and to give the requisite amount
of feed. The driving-pulleys were also of wood, at-
tached to the same back-shaft ; and this, with a spring
to hold down the stuff behind the cutter-head, com-
prised about all the machinery there was about it.
The table was also of wood, and attached to one side
of the frame by means of a bolt at each end working
in slots in the frame, and was adjusted up and down,

46 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

to accommodate the different thicknesses of stuff, by
means of screws at each end of the table.

The form of cutter head adopted by this firm was
what is termed the cap-head ; and as this style of cut-
ter-head is still in extensive use with but little change,
and is so well known to sash and door makers, a de-
scription of it is unnecessary.

This machine, crude as it was, proved to be a suc-
cess ; and hundreds of them were sent out from both
shops. The most essential parts of this machine were
subjects of patents ; and for that reason this firm seemed
to have almost a monopoly of this business for a time.
Other wood-working machines were added to their list,
until the demand for their machines was such that it
became necessary to increase their production. A
third shop was opened, at Worcester, Mass., and was
placed under the management of Mr. E. C. Tainter,
who is well known among the wood-workers as an old
veteran in that line and by the familiar name of '' Eph."
Mr. Tainter managed this shop until about 1857 or
1858, when it was discontinued by this firm and passed
into other hands ; leaving only the original two shops
in the possession of this firm, which continued until the
death of Mr. J. A. Fay, when the tools and machinery,
together with the stock and fixtures, were removed to
Norwich, and the whole business concentrated at that
place.

In 1863, this firm became incorporated under the
corporate name of C. B. Rogers & Co., Mr. C. B. Rogers
being its first president, which office be held until his
death, when Mr. Lyman Gould succeeded him, and still
holds that office ; while the active management of the

EARL Y IIISTOR Y OF THE MO ULDING-MA CHINE. 4/

affairs of the business in detail has devolved upon its
able and energetic secretary and general manager, Mr.
R. W. Perkins.

It is claimed by some that there were moulding-
machines made in New York as early as those made at
Norwich ; but upon strict inquiry we have failed to
obtain any authentic account of any shop at that place
that manufactured and put upon the market a mould-
ing-machine at that time. We have record, however,
of one or two shops which manufactured and sold
mouldings about that time ; but it appears, from the
best information we can obtain, that these machines,
whatever their style was, were got up by the parties
themselves for their own especial use, and not manu-
factured or introduced to the public. Just when those
machines were put in operation and when they went
out of use, we have been unable to learn.

But, to return again to our former subject. The ad-
vanced state of the art of building, and a consequent
increased demand for mouldings of a different and bet-
ter design, rendered it not only necessary to work more
than one side at a time, but, in order to carry the nec-
essary machinery and perform the work in a satisfac-
tory manner, a much heavier and stronger machine
than had been heretofore built was required.

About this time (between 1863 and 1866), the late
Mr. H. B. Smith, then of Lowell, Mass., commenced
to produce machinery for the manufacture of sash,
doors, blinds, and mouldings, making this a specialty ;
and devoted much time to perfecting his moulding-
machine particularly. To Mr. Smith, it is believed,
belongs the credit of first introducing iron frames ex-

48 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

clusively for this class of machinery. Other manufac-
turers soon followed, and it was not long after the year
1857 when iron frames were not only applied to this,
but to nearly all other, wood-working machines, includ-
ing the planing and matching machine. Mr. Smith
also introduced a much heavier machine than had here-
tofore been used ; and although they were quite light
as compared with other machines which a few years
later succeeded them, his work became very popular
at that time. One of his improvements which he se-
cured by letters patent was attaching the table to the
frame by dovetailed slides and gibs, and the raising and
lowering of the same was accomplished by one screw
located near the centre of the machine, and easy of
access.

Previous to 1862, all moulding-machines were built
with the overhanging head ; and as long as narrow
strips only were worked, there was no difficulty in mak-
ing smooth work. But when the demand for heavier
work required wide strips to be used for heavy mould-
ings, there was a tremble, which manifested itself upon
the work, which was very objectionable. Various de-
vices were applied, such as an outside bearing to sup-
port the head ; but as those bearings were necessarily
attached to the table, and required to be loosened every
time the thickness was changed, they only partially an-
swered the purpose sought for, and could not be con-
sidered a practical device — although some manufac-
turers are still using it on certain machines.

THE INSIDE-MOULDER. 49

CHAPTER VII.

THE MOULDING-MACHINE, CONTINUED— THE INSIDE-
MOULDER— INTRODUCTION OF THE RES A WING-
MACHINE— THE CROSBY PATENT— MYERS &' UNI-
SONS CLAIMS— SUIT BROUGHT AGAINST THE
MESSRS. HAWLEY AND MR, DONCASTER — RE-
SULTS, ETC.

The increased demand for heavy work was such
that, in order to meet it, a new departure in moulding-
machines became necessary, which required the cutter-
head to be placed between the bearings in the same
manner as a planer and matcher.

The Lee machine was the first which came into
use constructed in this manner. It was got up very
light. In the first machines, one side cutter-head was
placed in front of the cyHnder, while the other was
placed behind it. Notwithstanding this machine did
not fully meet the expectations of the wood-workers,
yet a great many were sold and put into use.

In 1864 and 1865, three heavy twelve-inch inside-
moulders were put upon the market — one by C. B.
Rogers & Co., of Norwich, Conn. ; one by S. A. Woods,
of Boston ; and one at Rochester, N. Y., by the author.
These machines, although somewhat different in con-
struction, were all intended to overcome the objections
that had been urged against the Lee machine by the
wood-workers, who claimed they were too unhandy to
operate successfully.

There is always a certain class of mechanics who are
ready to oppose any new departure from the old beaten

so HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

track; and in this case there was no exception. Some
would still argue in favor of the overhanging head, for
the reason that they could always have a number of
duplicate heads set up for different kinds of work, and it
was much easier to change the heads than to change the
cutters. But the fine, smooth work turned out by their
neighbors, when compared with the wavy and uneven
work of their own, soon compelled them to fall into line
and use the inside machine for heavy work, or allow
the work to go to their competitor in the same business
who had one. Besides, its availability was still more
appreciated when it was found that when not in use
for mouldings it could be profitably employed in plan-
ing and matching ceilings, siding, door-casings, and
wainscoting to better advantage than the same could
be worked upon a planer and matcher.

The introduction, also, of the four-sided slotted head
greatly facilitated the setting of the cutters ; and the
operators soon began to discover advantages which
had not presented themselves before. The head hav-
ing four sides, and provided with caps, sectional cutters
could be used consisting of hollows and rounds, square,
and other shaped tools, so that a great variety of dif-
ferent shaped mouldings could be stuck with the same
tools by simply changing the combination ; ' besides
being much easier to keep in order.

The inside-moulder, so called, is now extensively
used in planing-mills where large quantities of ceiling are
manufactured. As there are no feed-rolls behind the
cylinder to draw the stuff out, it requires that the strips
should all be of one width, so that one may follow the
other in succession ; otherwise, whenever it became
necessary to change the width, a narrow strip would

THE INSIDE-MOULDER. 51

require to be run in order to push the last piece beyond
the side-cutters.

The work on fine ceiling is much smoother than
when run on a common matcher, as there are no rolls
to pass over the face of the stuff, after being planed, to
mar its surface by chips or small particles of gum which
are liable to adhere to them.

The modern planing-mill, well equipped in order to
meet the requirements of the present time, requires a
number of auxiliary machines for fitting and preparing
the lumber for use both previous to and after it has
been planed. It is true that the mills of an early date,
with the limited amount and variety of work which
were required of them, only demanded a saw-table for
ripping up the lumber to the requisite width ; and after
being run through the planer, the work was completed,
so far as the planing-mill was concerned.

The modern mill goes still further — it not only
planes and matches the lumber, but fits it for the dif-
ferent uses required in building ; so that when the
lumber leaves the planing-mill, there is but little hand
labor required.

In speaking of the improvements in planing-mill
machinery, and the improved methods of getting out
lumber for building purposes, an old planing-mill owner
remarked : " A few years ago, if you wanted to build a
house, you would employ a carpenter to do the work ;
but now all you have to do is to get your architect to
make your plans, then go to the planing-mill and order
your house made, then purchase a few kegs of nails,
and hire a carpenter to put it together." This was per-
haps putting it a little too strong ; but it is a fact that

52 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the amount of hand labor which is required to complete
an ordinary dwelling-house is very small, in comparison
to what it was a few years ago.

One of the early machines that came into use in
connection with the planer was the resawing machine.
Saw-tables, it is true, were in use for resawing certain
kinds of work, particularly bevelled siding, long before
the introduction of the resawing-machine. These were
provided with bevelled guides, and springs to hold the
stuff up to the guides while the board was fed to the
saw by hand. This style of making bevelled siding —
or clapboards, as they were called — was expensive, as it
required the labor of two men — one to push the board
forward, and another at the opposite end to pull it out;
besides, the irregularity of the feed would cause the
saw to run, frequently, making thick and thin places in
the siding, which was an objection to this method.
The progress that had been made in working lumber
by machinery demanded greater accuracy, and the
want was felt of something that would turn out truer
work with greater economy of labor.

The Crosby resawing-machine, which was patented
in 1842, was intended to supply that want. Its manner
of construction was an upright saw, working in a frame
similar to an old-fashioned saw-mill. This was mounted
upon a suitable frame and provided with an automatic
feed. This machine, although very effective and ac-
curate in its work, was slow as compared with the ma-
chines which succeeded it, or even with the saw-table
with the hand-feed, and did not fully meet the require-
ments of the planing-mill owners. It is true, the ex-
pense of running it was small, as it could be attended

THE CROSBY PATENT. 53

by a boy, after being properly set and adjusted ; so
that, in the end, a much better quality of siding could
be made, and at less expense, than by the old process
of sawing by hand. This machine had a rapid sale,
and in a short time very few mills of any capacity could
be found without one.

The claims of the Crosby patent were so broad as
to effectually shut off any improvements while the
patent was in existence. After describing the ma-
chine by the usual specification, he says :

'' I claim the combination of automatic feed-rolls
with a saw, either circular or upright."

This claim gave him as complete a monopoly as the
claims of the Woodworth patent ; and, like the owners
of the latter, customers could take this or nothing,
there being no choice in the matter.

This patent, or the right to manufacture and sell,
came into the possession of the late John Gibson, of
Albany, while he was manufacturing the Woodworth
planer; and the two monopolies worked well together —
at least, as far as Mr. Gibson was concerned — while it
lasted. Although Mr. Gibson personally was opposed
to improvements of any kind, saying that the machines
were " good enough," yet, through the influence of
Mr. Doncaster, who was his foreman at that time, he
consented to allow him to introduce a circular saw on
the small-sized machines which were intended for saw-
ing bevelled siding, using the same frame-gearing and
rolls.

This machine, which afterwards became known as
the "Doncaster machine," soon superseded the up-
right, and was manufactured and sold for several years

54 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MTLL.

before the Crosby patent expired, and long after Mr.
Doncaster became the successor of John Gibson. Up
to this time no attempt, so far as we can ascertain, was
made to cut anything wider than six or eight inches,
and a saw twenty-two inches in diameter was about the
largest size used, which was ground to an even thick-
ness of about 13 gauge.

The demand for a machine to cut wider stuff led to
the introduction of the taper-ground saw ; as a straight
saw of sufficient diameter to cut wide stuff would nec-
essarily require to be so thick that there would be but
little economy in its use. Upon the introduction of
the taper-ground saw, another change was required, in
order to relieve the centre of the saw from the pressure
upon its sides while the stuff was passing over it. This
was met by Mr. Doncaster by introducing two small
plates, one on each side of the saw, and firmly at-
tached to the bed-plate, so that, when the lumber that
was being sawed came in contact with those plates, it
was sufficiently spread to relieve the saw from the fric-
tion which would otherwise be exerted upon it.

There is no doubt about Mr. Doncaster being the
original inventor of this device. But as he never applied
for a patent upon it, when the Crosby patent expired,
and other manufacturers commenced the manufacture
of resawing-machines, this same device, with various
modifications, was generally adopted; and up to 1869
nearly every manufacturer of wood-working machinery
included in his catalogue a resawing-machine.

In this year a cloud appeared, which threatened for
a time a general raid upon both the manufacturers and
users throughout the whole country. It appeared that,

MYERS AND UmsON'S CLAIMS. 55

years before the original Crosby patent had expired,
Messrs. Myers & Unison had jointly taken out a pat-
ent for alleged improvements in resawing-machines in
which {a la Stover) they had claimed, not only what
they had invented, but everybody else. Their claims
covered the spreaders referred to ; also the use of wide
collars and adjustable guides ; and, in fact, everything
which went to make up a resawing-machine.

This patent, originally granted for fourteen years,
had run the allotted time and been extended for seven
years longer ; and just before the seven years expired,
Mr. Unison took his grip-sack and started out for a
general raid, threatening both manufacturers and users
with immediate suits and injunctions, provided they
did not make immediate settlement with him for in-
fringing a patent that had never been advertised or in
any manner put upon the market, or any steps taken
to notify the public of its existence. Some were fright-
ened into a settlement, while others told him to go
ahead. There was only one suit commenced, and that
was against the Messrs. Hawley, an extensive lumber
firm in Albany, N. Y., in connection with Mr. Doncas-
ter. The Messrs. Hawley were using a number of
machines of Mr. Doncaster's make. They, to use a
slang phrase, " did not scare worth a cent," but went
at it in earnest.

The result of the litigation was that Mr. Unison was
not only defeated in the Circuit Court of the United
States, but his patent was set aside as null and void.
Other raids were made about this and subsequent years,
which will be referred to hereafter.

56 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

CHAPTER VIII.

ABUSES OF PATENT-LAWS— THE ACT OF i^-jo— THE
WOODBURY PATENT— ATTEMPTS TO BUILD UP
ANOTHER PLANING-MILL MONOPOLY— A SUIT IN
WHICH THE PATENT WAS SET ASIDE.

It is not our purpose at this time to discuss the ad-
vantages or the disadvantages under which the pubhc
have labored from time to time in consequence of per-
verted patent-law, or the alleged patented inventions
which have grown out of it. There is no question but
the original intent of the patent-law and the institution
of the Patent Office was to protect the honest, bona fide
inventor in the works of his brain. But a good law
perverted by designing men may become an unjust
one, and work injury not only to the individual in-
ventor, but the public also. It may be almost impossi-
ble to so frame a law that its provisions may not be
evaded or taken advantage of by selfish and designing
men for their own purposes, thereby working injustice
to an honest and unsuspecting public ; and it does not
require a very profound lawyer to discover this fact in
many cases.

The act of July 8, 1870, sec. 24, was intended to cor-
rect certain faults which had existed under the former
laws, and to enable an honest, bona fide inventor, whose
application may have been rejected through the ignor-
ance of the examiner, or otherwise, to obtain another

THE WOODBURY PATENT. 57

hearing, and again present his claims for a further con-
sideration before the Patent Office. The section
referred to reads as follows :

" And be it further enacted, That any person who
has invented or discovered any new and useful art,
machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or
any new and useful improvement thereof not known
or used by others in this country, or not patented or
described in any printed publication in this or any
foreign country before his invention or discovery
thereof, and not in public use or on sale for more than
two years prior to his application, unless the same is
proved to have been abandoned, may, upon payment
of the duty required by law, and other due proceed-
ings had, obtain a patent therefor."

While the provisions in this act were intended to re-
lieve a certain class of inventors who had failed to
obtain their just claims, the same act was taken ad-
vantage of by others whose inventions were not orig-
inal, and for that reason were justly refused, and had
long since been abandoned to the public with their full
knowledge and tacit consent. Many of these old
claims were revived and, by the assistance of skilled
attorneys, pushed through without any regard to the
welfare of the public. Conspicuous among this class
of pretended inventors was Joseph P. Woodbury, with
his alleged invention of the pressure-bar, which is used
upon all planing-machines, and had been in public use
for more than twenty years ; and the manufacturers
and users were more than astonished when it was an-
nounced that a patent had been granted to him dated
April 29, 1873.

$8 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

At first the planing-mill men looked upon it as a
huge joke, as it became known that this same Joseph
P. Woodbury had, on the 3d day of June, 1848, made
appHcation for a patent on this same device, and, after
a close examination, it was rejected upon the grounds
that the same device was shown on a machine patented
several years previous, and consequently he was not
the original inventor ; and, further, he had withdrawn
the application and the Government had refunded a
certain portion of the fee, as provided by law in cases
of rejection and abandonment.

No further notice was taken of it until it was an-
nounced by circulars received that the patent had been
assigned to a certain company of capitalists under the
title of "The Woodbury Patent Planing-machine Com-
pany, of Boston, Mass.," with a capital of several million
dollars, and that they were about to adopt certain
measures for enforcing their claims.

Those circulars set forth — which were sent to all
users and owners of planing-machines — ^that the follow-
ing royalties upon all lumber planed or dressed from
the date of the aforesaid patent, and in future, would
be as follows : *' Twenty cents per thousand feet of
boards, plank, or timber (board measure estimated at
one inch thick or less) planed, dressed, manufactured,
tongued, grooved, sided, or straightened upon the
machine or machines upon which said invention and
improvement is hereby licensed to be used ; twenty
cents for each and every thousand of clapboards planed
by the use of such machine having said improvement
licensed as aforesaid (estimated at four feet long, ox pro
rata for all over four feet long); and twenty cents for

THE WOODBURY PATENT. 59

each and every thousand Hneal feet of gutters, con-
ductors, mouldings, or any other irregular forms of
lumber planed or cut with any machine on which said
improvement maybe used under this license; — payable
in quarterly payments on the first days of February,
May, August, and November of each and every year
hereafter."

Notice accompanying this document was to also
notify all that if this form of license was not signed at
once, and its provisions complied w^th, suits for in-
fringement would be commenced without further
notice.

Finding this company were in earnest, and that an
attempt would be made to enforce the claims of that
patent, circulars were prepared and sent out among
the wood-workers, inviting them to meet with the
manufacturers, and all other parties interested, at
Albany, N. Y., to take into consideration the proper
means for their own protection. It was unanimously
resolved to form themselves into an association, raise
the necessary funds, and employ the best counsel to
defend any actions that might be brought against any
member of the association. John T. Drew, an emi-
nent patent-attorney, was retained with instructions
accordingly.

Nothing, however, was done by the company except
to annoy the planing-mill users with threatening letters
and circulars until May 4, 1875, when a petition was
filed with the Attorney-general of the United States,
by Mr. Lyman Gould, of Norwich, Conn., for a scire
facias proceeding to set the patent aside. This was
done in order to arrive at some decision, and relieve

6o HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the planing-mill owners from being constantly annoyed
by threatening letters and circulars from the Wood-
bury company.

The ground upon which this petition was made, as
set forth in the petition, was that he had proposed to
them, through his attorney, Mr. Drew, that they
should commence a suit against him or any other
party which they might select, and thereby test the
validity of the patent, and stop the annoyance to his
customers and others by constantly threatening them
with a multiplicity of visits. Another reason set forth
in the petition was, that many of the witnesses were
old men and feeble, and that, by constant and pro-
longed delay, their death might be the means of their
testimony being lost ; that he believed the patent was
obtained by fraudulent representations at the Patent
Office ; and that the device covered by the said patent
was in common use and on sale, with the knowledge
and consent of the patentee, for more than two years
prior to his application for a patent in 1848 ; and that
the said Joseph P. Woodbury was engaged in selling,
as the agent for another firm, machines, with pressure-
bars attached, as early as the 28th of March, 1846.

While the investigation which followed did not show
any direct fraud on the part of the Patent Office, it
brought out the fact that the patent had been rejected
on the same grounds as before — for the lack of novelty,
and that M. D. Leggett, the Commissioner of Patents,
had finally issued it under protest, and in opposition to
the judgment of the board of examiners in chief, but in
accordance with a decision of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia in the ex parte case of Gray. The

THE WOODBURY PATENT. 6 1

owners of the Woodbury patent appeared, by their
counsel, in opposition to this petition, and, by bring-
ing in a mass of testimony and promising to bring
suit at an early day in order to test its validity, the
order for scire facias proceedings was countermanded.

The next move in this interesting game was a circu-
lar sent out by the Woodbury Patent Planing-machine
Company, indorsed by Mr. John T. Drew and some
of the prominent members of the Planing-mill Associ-
ation, recommending a compromise by each paying
one hundred and sixty dollars per year royalty for
each machine, in lieu of the former schedule of prices ;
also requiring each one so licensed on these terms to
sign an agreement recognizing the validity of the
Woodbury patent, and that they would in no way aid
"Or assist, in any manner whatever, in the defence of
any suit that might be brought against those who
might refuse to take out a license under this patent.
Some were inclined to comply with those terms, and
paid the royalty demanded and obtained a license.

In this arrangement the manufacturers were left out,
and no provision made for them ; and as there was a
strong suspicion of treachery somewhere, a meeting of
the manufacturers was called at the St. Nicholas Hotel,
in New York, to discuss the situation and devise means
for their own protection. The result was that they
formed themselves into an association under the name
of " The Planing and Moulding Machine Manufactur-
ers' Association ;" elected their officers, with authority
to employ counsel to defend any suits which might be
entered against them or their customers. Each manu-
facturer notified his customers to make no compro-

62 HISTORY OF THE PLAMING-MILL.

mise with the Woodbury company; and that if any
suits were entered against them, they would be de-
fended by this association.

This effectually put a stop to the compromise meas-
ures, and there was no other resort for the Woodbury
company but to commence suit or abandon their claims.

The object of the manufacturers in forming this as-
sociation was of a twofold nature. One was the desire
to protect their customers who had purchased their
machines in good faith ; and another was that, if the
Woodbury company succeeded in sustaining the patent
without any provision for the manufacturers, when
this object was accomplished it was suspected that it
was their intention to start a large manufactory of
their own, and refuse to license any one to manufacture
and sell under their patent ; thereby creating another
monopoly greater than that of the Woodworth.

Mr. Lyman Gould, who was elected president of the
association, was authorized to retain counsel and appear
on the part of the association as the defendant, in case
a suit was brought, the expenses to be assessed upon
the members and such other interested parties who
might wish to unite with them.

The Woodbury company, finding there was no other
recourse, finally entered suit against one Allen W.
Keith, of Maiden, Mass., for infringement of the afore-
said patent. The bill of complaint set forth their
grievances in the usual manner, and was filed in the
Circuit Court of the United States for the District
of Massachusetts, on the eleventh day of December,
1875. Messrs. D. Hall Rice, Benjamin F. Thurton, and
Charles E. Pratt were retained as counsel for the de-

ANOTHER PLANING-MILL MONOPOLY, 63

fence, and filed the answer for Mr. Keith in the usual
manner, setting forth the grounds for the defence, and
^ also filed it with the court on the seventh day of Feb-
ruary, 1876.

The suit was vigorously contested on both sides ; and
a vast amount of testimony was produced by the de-
fence showing conclusively, first, that Woodbury was
not the first and original inventor of the pressure-bar ;
and, second, that if he was, he had clearly abandoned it
after its rejection in 1848, and allowed it to go into
public use and on sale with his full knowledge and con-
sent for more than twenty years.

These facts were so clearly set forth by testimony
and exhibits on the part of the defence that the patent
was declared void and set aside by the Circuit Court.
The Woodbury company, not satisfied with this deci-
sion, appealed to the Supreme Court of the United
States, which, after reviewing the testimony, confirmed
the decision of the Circuit Court, thus putting an end
to one of the greatest frauds that was ever attempted
upon the public.

There were in use at that time twenty thousand
machines that would have been liable to a tax under
the offered compromise of one hundred and sixty dol-
lars per year, which, if they had succeeded, would have
taken from one of the prominent industries of the
country the sum of three million two hundred thousand
dollars annually for seventeen years, provided no more
mills had started ; making, in the aggregate, the sum of
fifty-four million four hundred thousand dollars that
would have been wrung from the industries of the

64 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

country to enrich half a dozen greedy cormorants,
without any compensation in return whatever.

If Joseph P. Woodbury had been the first and origi-
nal inventor of the pressure-bar, — which it was plainly
proved that he was not, — and had given the public this
really valuable- and useful device, there is no reason why
he should have been deprived of a reasonable compensa-
tion for his labor and expenses ; but even if he was,
there would be a manifest injustice in awarding any
such sum as was demanded by the company who at-
tempted unjustly to enforce his claims.

Since the time referred to, the manufacturers of plan-
ing-machines have increased. Many valuable improve-
ments have been added, until the planing-machine of
to-day, for perfection in its construction and the quan-
tity and quality of its work, ranks second to no other
class of labor-saving machinery ; and by the use of
special tools and improved machinery for their con-
struction, and with no royalties to pay to greedy cor-
porations, the manufacturers are enabled to put this
valuable and useful machine in the market at a price
within the reach of lumbermen of moderate means.
The introduction of cast-steel cylinders renders them
strong and safe, and enables them to be run at a much
higher rate of speed than formerly, and with a faster
feed — thus increasing their capacity and usefulness.

We have now traced the planing-machine from its
earliest inception down through its various stages of
improvement to the present modern-made machine ;
and to pursue this subject further would be uninterest-
ing to planing-mill men, who are supposed to be famil-
iar with most of the machines of the present time,

ANOTHER PLANING-MILL MONOPOLY. 65

But we cannot close this history without indulging in a
few reflections upon modern improvements and the
inventive genius which naturally suggest themselves.

The object and ambition of the original inventor of
any machine — who sometimes spends many valuable
years of his life in the development of his idea — is to
produce a certain result ; when that result is accom-
plished and looked upon by another inventor, it ap-
pears to him exceedingly simple.

The object sought by the first inventor of the plan-
ing-machine was to devise certain means whereby
boards could be planed by machinery. Little attention
was given to the style, beauty, or symmetry of its parts.
A strong wooden frame was the first thing required ;
and then to adapt certain devices to that frame to per-
form the work was the next consideration. No mat-
ter if the cylinder was composed of three triangular
pieces of wrought-iron fastened to a bar of iron for a
shaft, with nothing to support the knives between them
but their own strength, it demonstrated the principle
and established the fact that lumber could thus be
planed by the action of rotary cutters.

Inventors had exhausted their skill for years in en-
deavoring to invent some means of planing lumber
other than by the slow and laborious process with the
hand-plane. But in all their efforts they seem to have
never departed from the idea of the reciprocating mo-
tion of the hand-plane. Their machines were not suc-
cessful in accomplishing the object sought for ; and it
would seem that rotary cutters running at a high speed
were only resorted to after every other device had
failed. In the first attempts to apply the rotary cut-

66 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

ter-head, the lumber was pushed through by hand ;
but this was found to be not only a laborious opera-
tion, but a dangerous one. With the imperfect de-
vices for holding down the stuff while being acted
upon by the cutters, the knives were liable at any
time to catch the stuff and throw it back towards the
operator with great force. In fact, it was very soon
discovered that some automatic feeding-device must
be adopted in order to render the machines safe, effec-
tive, and practical ; and the introduction of rolls for
this purpose was the first thing that presented itself.
Although they were nothing but blocks of wood with
iron gudgeons, and turned round by a wooden pulley
attached to the gudgeon for driving them, yet it estab-
lished a principle and demonstrated the fact that lum-
ber could thus be automatically fed through the ma-
chine while the surface was being acted upon by the
cutters.

And so on with every other part of the machine.
One idea suggested another, and improvements were
made from time to time as their necessities presented
themselves.

Although Mr. Woodworth has the credit of inventing
the planing-machine, — which still bears his name, —
much had been done towards it by other inventors pre-
vious to his time ; but to him, no doubt, belongs the
credit of collecting the various abandoned experiments
of other inventors which had preceded him, and so com-
bining, modifying, and arranging them with his own
ideas as to make a successful and practical machine.

This is the history of all new and useful inventions ;
and it may be truly said that it is doubtful if there

SUIT IN WHICH THE PATENT WAS SET ASIDE. 6/

is one of the many useful machines of the present day,
either for working wood or iron, that is purely the in-
vention of any one man. An inventor, for instance,
discovers the necessity for a machine to facilitate the
manufacture of a certain article ; he devotes his time
and energies to discover the necessary combination of
mechanical devices which will imitate substantially
the same motions of the hand in performing the same
work. After a time, by hard study and close applica-
tion, he succeeds in bringing together the necessary
mechanical devices to produce those motions, and the
work which had heretofore been performed by hand
can now be successfully performed by the machine —
just as perfect and a great deal faster.

But after all, certain defects may be discovered that
were not anticipated by the inventor at that time, which
he or a subsequent inventor may remedy, and thereby
render the machine much more simple and effective.
A third inventor, after examining and studying what
the first and second have done, will also discover cer-
tain defects and chances for improvements, which the
first and second inventors never thought of. And so
it goes on from one to another, just as the planing-mill
of the present day was evolved from Mr. Woodworth's
first machine.

The sewing-machine is another practical illustration
of progressive mechanical invention. The first sewing-
machines exhibited at the World's Fair in New York
were crude affairs as compared with those at the pres-
ent time. And although Mr. I. M. Singer and others
had devoted years of study to construct a machine
which would stitch a plain seam, it was only a partial
success until another inventor, Mr. Elias Howe, Jr.,

68 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

came forward with a needle having an eye near the
point, which enabled them to accomplish that object
which had been so long sought for. The original
machines, as exhibited at the time and place just
referred to, were run by a crank with the right
hand, while the work was guided by the left, and
an expert operator could make about one hundred
stitches per minute. This was considered lightning
speed as compared with hand-sewing, and excited the
wonder and admiration of the immense crowd of spec-
tators which gathered around them daily to watch their
operation. Nothing but plain stitching was then at-
tempted. Now, when we compare those machines with
the machines of the present day, with all their attach-
ments of hemmers, tuckers, rufflers, quilters, braiders,
and the Lord knows what else, together with the light-
ning speed at which they are run, we may truly ex-
claim, " Great is the progressive inventive genius of
the present age !" If our girls, with all the stitching,
flouncing, and puckering that is put upon their dresses,
were obliged to perform all this work by hand, as their
grandmothers did, they would pray for the fashions to
change and give them their grandmothers' simplicity
of dress.

The mowing-machine and reaper are also illustra-
tions of this subject. While McCormick had expended
thousands of dollars and years of time in his attempts
to perfect this machine, it was only a partial success
until Hussey invented the finger-bar, which proved to
be the connecting-link between it and success. And
although Mr. Hussey had a hard struggle to sustain
and protect his rights against money and powerful in-
fluence, he was one of a few original inventors who

AA^ A M ERICA N CHA RA C TERIS TIC. 69

were successful in sustaining their rights. His death
occurred in a railroad accident between Baltimore and
Washington, while the suit with McCormick was pend-
ing at the latter place ; yet his friends carried on the
suit to a successful termination, and his widow realized
a large fortune from it.

It is characteristic of the American people that, if
one man invents anything new and useful, another will
make an effort to invent something better. After
years of untiring labor, when Prof. S. F. B. Morse had
succeeded in establishing the fact of telegraphy, other
inventors came forward to share the honors and divide
the profits with him ; but after many a hard-fought
battle, the Morse system prevailed over its competitors.

But even now that system has found a rival of no
mean proportions, in the telephone. This system, of
transmitting the human voice to a distance is still in
its infancy, and only the '' iron-clad patent " of Prof.
Bell prevents other and better systems from being in-
troduced.

Inventive genius, however, is at work ; and when the
Bell patent expires, there is no doubt but more perfect
and delicate instruments will be put in use, so that
messages may be transmitted by telephone as far as by
telegraph. And when that time arrives, the telegraph,
like the stage-coach and the canal-packet as compared
with railroads, will be obliged to give way to its more
rapid rival.

Truly we live in a fast age !

The following chapters are devoted to the construc-
tion, care, and management of planing-mill machinery.

70 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

CHAPTER IX.

CONS TR UCTION OF MA CHINER Y— QUALITY A ND
STRENGTH OF CASTINGS— CARE IN MOULDING-
FRAMES FOR MACHINES, ETC .

The important purposes to which iron is appHed in
the construction of machinery render it always a sub-
ject of interest to the scientific mechanic ; and there is
no time in its history, from its first discovery to the
present time, when its importance and the necessity
for its use is more appreciated. There is scarcely any-
thing connected with the mechanic arts at the present
time but what iron, either cast or malleable, enters
into its composition directly or indirectly.

Castings for machinery should never have less te-
nacity than sixteen thousand pounds to the square
inch ; and the safest plan, when machinery is to be
constructed requiring great strength, is to require tests
to be made of certain mixtures of iron, and specify in
the contract that the castings shall show a certain
strength. And then leave it to the foundryman to se-
lect his own grades of iron, and mix them according to
his own fancy. Poor iron in castings is bad enough at all
times ; but even with good iron the machinist often has
other troubles to contend with.

Patterns may be carefully made according to the
drawings, and all necessary allowances made for shrink-
age, planing, turning, etc. ; but if the moulder is care-

QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF CASTINGS. 7 1

less with his work, the casting may come out crooked
and winding- so that it will require double the work in
finishing. Sometimes it may happen that the faults
are so great that the casting cannot be used ; and then
the labor of moulding, casting, and remelting is a loss
to the foundry.

Another difificulty machinists have to contend with,
in castings that require to be finished upon the surface,
is large holes just below the surface. These holes are
frequently so well concealed by the outer surface that
they are not discovered until nearly the whole surface
of a large piece is planed off. If not too large, they
are sometimes filled up with other metal ; but if they
are large enough to materially weaken that part of the
machine, they must be returned to the foundry. In
this case, the foundry loses the casting, and the ma-
chine-shop the labor of planing.

In most cases these faults may be avoided by reason-
able care on the part of the moulder. These spots, or,
as they are generally called, blow-holes, are caused by
the penf-up gases that are generated by the melted
iron coming in contact with the sand. The sand being
damp, and containing more or less Vegetable matter,
generates a large amount of gas and steam ; and if
some provision is not made for its escape through the
sand, the upper surface of the casting will be filled
with those air bubbles that cannot escape. This may
be avoided if proper care and attention is exercised on
the part of the moulder in giving the mould sufificient
vent. This is accomplished by running a small wire
through the sand in the cope before the pattern is
withdrawn, so as to form a series of small holes — not

72 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

large enough to allow the iron to run through, but suf-
ficient to allow the gases to escape as the iron rises in
the mould.

In heavy castings, to insure success it is not only
necessary to perforate the sand in the manner just de-
scribed, but also to use what moulders call risers. A
riser is a round piece of wood, varying in size and
length according to the size of the casting. This piece
of wood is placed in the sand, one end resting upon the
pattern, and the other projecting above the flask, so
that when the flask is filled with sand and rammed up,
the riser may be withdrawn, leaving an opening from
the mould to the surface of the sand. The iron rises
in this hole when the mould is filled, and not only al-
lows the gases to escape, with other lighter matter
which may float upon the surface, but also exerts a
pressure upon the iron while in a liquid state, in the
same manner that a column of water exerts a pressure
upon a pipe ; and castings thus made, under a moderate
pressure are more compact and of finer grain.

Good castings, when taken from the sand arid brushed
off, should have on the outer surface a smooth, clear,
and continuous skin, with regular faces and sharp
angles; and when broken, the surface of the fracture
should be of a bright bluish-gray color, of close-grained
texture, and uniform, except that the portion near the
surface may be somewhat brighter, and the grain closer.
A mottled appearance upon the face of the fracture is
an indication of a poor casting, that will be deficient
in strength from the lack of uniformity of the iron.

In designing patterns for castings, great care and
judgment should be exercised in giving each part, as

QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF CASTINGS. 73

near as possible, an equal distribution of iron. There
should be no abrupt variations in the thickness ; for if
one part is thinner than another in the same piece, and
cools before the other, the shrinkage of the thinner
part will have a tendency to draw the heavier part, that
may still be in a semi-liquid state, out of its place, and
the casting will either be distorted, or the thinner por-
tion separated from it. A pulley, for instance, with
light arms and a very heavy rim and hub, will be very
likely to separate from the arms in cooling, or draw the
rim out of a true circle opposite to each arm; and if
not entirely separated, there will be so much strain
upon them that the slightest blow will cause them to
separate from the rim or hub. And whenever this hap-
pens, there will always be an open space between the
two surfaces of- the fracture. This may be avoided by
artificial cooling of the hub, or by making the arms
curved, so that the strain by unequal shrinkage will
only straighten the arm somewhat, instead of tearing
them asunder.

Whenever it becomes necessary to construct patterns
with a thick and thin portion in close proximity to
each other, it is better, if the nature of the work will
admit, to give to one portion or the other a slight
curve. The frames for machinery that are cast in one
piece with the various sections joined together should
have all the lighter portions connected with it made, if
possible, in curves ; otherwise, some portions will be
either warped or the lighter portions parted from the
heavier by unequal shrinkage.

It frequently becomes necessary to construct patterns
for machinery of such shape that, if the pattern itself

74 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MJLL.

was the exact counterpart of the casting required, it
could not be withdrawn from the sand. In this case,
resort must be had to cores. The pattern-maker at-
taches a plain block to the pattern, to indicate to the
moulder the exact spot where the core is to be set.
He then constructs a core-box of a shape to meet the
requirements of the casting. In this box the moulder
makes his core, which is composed of coarse sand,
mixed with flour or some other substance, such as
molasses or sour beer, which is added in order to
give it sufficient strength after being dried in the
oven to handle without danger from crumbling. This
core is then placed in the mould in the exact posi-
tion indicated by the block or print, so that, when the
iron runs around, it forms the shape required in the
casting.

Carelessness in setting cores, on the part of the
moulder, is another one of the troubles which the ma-
chinist has to contend with. If a hub is to be bored
to a certain size, and the pattern-maker has made
ample allowance for that purpose, if the moulder is
careless in setting the core, so that it is not central
with the hub, the machinist often finds it a difficult
matter to bore it out to the size indicated on his draw-
ings.

All these mistakes — which should be avoided — enter
into and add to the net cost of the machine, which falls,
in most cases, upon the proprietors ; and if every em-
ployee would consult the interests of his employer,
much needless expense might be avoided. '

As many of the castings used in planing-mill machi-
nery require to be made with cores, the hints given in the

CARE IN MOULDING. 75

foregoing pages on this subject, as well as castings gener-
ally, are applicable to this class of work ; for probably
there is no class of machinery that is subjected to
greater strain and the same wear and tear as that.
When we speak of planing-mill machinery, we include
all that class of machines used for wood-working ; as the
conditions under which they all work are substantially
the same.

The planing-machine, being the largest and heaviest
machine in the outfit, and required to perform the
heaviest work, should be made of sufficient weight and
possess strength in all its parts in proportion to the
labor which each part has to perform. The frame,
which is now made of iron by all first-class manufac-
turers, should be strong and of sufficient weight to give
it solidity and support the working-parts without any
vibration ; but the most important parts of a first-class
planing-machine are those parts which perform the
work. There is no economy in putting a large amount
of superfluous iron in the frame, and making the other
parts light— especially those which perform the most
work and are often subjected to the greatest strain.

A machine of this kind may weigh sixty-five or sev-
enty hundred pounds, and yet not be any stronger or
able to perform as much heavy work as one that might
weigh five or ten hundred pounds less. Such a ma-
chine, while having much less iron in the frame, may
have in its working parts one third more strength.

The correct principle in the construction of planing-
mill machinery is to so apportion the several parts as
to get the greatest amount of strength from a given
amount of material.

76 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

The custom of purchasers inquiring of the manufac-
turers the weight of their machines, and then compar-
ing their prices with the gross weight, is a bad one, and
often leads to disappointment and unsatisfactory re-
sults. This practice has led some makers to put an
unnecessary amonnt of iron in their frames, so as to
give the impression that, because their machines are
heavy, they possess superior qualities over another, who
may claim less weight ; when the real facts in the case
are, the lighter machines may be much the strongest
and durable.

The cost of a planing-machine is not all in the frame ;
and a few hundred pounds of iron either way makes
but little difference. The working-parts is where the
cost comes in, and the heavier they are and the more
accurately they are fitted up, the more they cost
whether the frame is heavy or light.

The feed-works, next to the cylinder and side-cut-
ters, is the most important part of the machine, and
one that is in many machines very deficient. How
often do we find planing-machines with the cylinder
and side-cutters fitted up in good shape and capable of
performing good, fair work, but spoiled by having only
one pair of feed-rolls, three or four inches in diameter, —
and the top one fluted at that, — and held down by rub-
ber springs or some other worthless device, with
scarcely power enough to surface a three-eighth panel.
Yet such machines are expected to carry a two-inch
plank two feet wide through the machine, and take off
a heavy cut ; and, if the feed will not do it, it is expected
that the operator will make up the deficiency with his
abdomen. We have a poor opinion of that style of

FRAMES FOR MACHINES, ETC. 7/

machine. Yet many will purchase them because they
are cheap ; but the fact is, such machines are dearest in
the end.

A planing-machine, to give a good and reliable feed,
should have not less than three pair of feed-rolls, from
six to eight inches in diameter, and connected by some
good system of expansion-gears, and weighted so as to
give a uniform pressure whether the lumber be thick
or thin. Two pair should be placed in front of the cyl-
inder, as more friction surface is required to feed the
lumber in than to feed it out ; especially when the lum-
ber is damp and frosty. But after it has passed under
the cylinder, and one side is planned, one pair of feed-
rolls, if properly weighted, is amply sufficient to carry
it out..

We abominate fluted rolls, and they never should be
used on a machine that is expected to do good, smooth
work. Smooth rolls, if of proper size and sufficiently
weighted, will always give a reliable feed, and one
strong enough to carry anything through the machine
that is fit to" go through it. While fluted rolls with the
same pressure may give a stronger feed, the trouble
with them is that, if the lumber is soft or damp, the
projecting points of a fluted roll press into the lumber,
bending the grain to a depth just in proportion to the
weight that, is brought to bear upon it, and, before those
indentations have time to come back again to the sur-
face, it is planed over, leaving the grain in that position ;
and, in a fev/ days, or sometimes in a few hours, when
exposed to the air, rises again to its former position,
and shows upon the surface a series of corrugations
corresponding to each flut^ in the roller.

78 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

For this reason, no machine, no matter how perfect
it may be in all its other parts, can do smooth work
under these conditions.

The cylinder should be large enough in diameter to
give a fair width of knife and clear the bolt-heads, with-
out having too much scrape. Manufacturers within
the last thirty years have gone from one extreme to
another in the size of their cylinders. The old Les-
ter machines, that were in use thirty years ago, are no
doubt well remembered by some of the old planing-
mill men. The cylinders were of gun-metal, in some
cases as large as fourteen inches in diameter, and were
skeleton-shaped, or what was then known as the " open
cylinder," usually having three knives hung inside of
the wings, and fastened by counter-sunk headed bolts,
with nuts screwed upon the face of the knife.

These old-timers required an immense power to run
them, and, at a feed of about thirty to forty lineal feet
per niinute, they turned out very good work ; but the
music of those old machines could be heard for a mile
around.

The solid iron cylinder was afterwards introduced,
and came into general use, not only on account of its
being cheaper, but it proved to be much better, and
could be made smaller in diameter, and run with much
less power and greater speed. Some manufacturers
went to the other extreme, by making their cylinders
just as much too small as the old ones were too large,
and just as much out of proportion.

CONSTRUCTION OP WOOD-WORKING TOOLS. 79

CHAPTER X.

CARE REQUIRED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WOOD-
WORKING TOOLS— BEST PROPORTION FOR THE
CYLINDER— RELATIVE LENGTH AND SIZE OF
JOURNALS— CAST-STEEL CYLINDERS— THE BEST
PRACTICAL METHOD OF FITTING THEM UP, ETC.

There is no piece of machinery pertaining to the
business of wood-working that requires more care in
its construction than the planing and matching ma-
chine. The speed is so rapid with the principal work-
ing-parts that any Httle imperfection will soon manifest
itself. A steam-engine, or almost any other slow-run-
ning machine, may have slight imperfections, which may
not manifest themselves for months after they have
been put in use ; but let one of the journals of a plan-
ing-machine cylinder not be perfectly round or be slightly
sprung or a pulley or cutter head not in perfect balance,
and you will find it out in less than ten minutes after
the machine is started.

Again, wood-working tools — especially the planing-
machine — do not always go into the hands of experi-
enced mechanics. An iron-turning lathe, planer, or
upright drilling-machine, when put up in the machine-
shop, goes into the hands of a competent machinist —
one who is not only competent to put it up and run it,
but, in most cases, with the suitable tools and patterns
for that purpose, able to construct it and put it to-
gether ; and if there should happen to be a slight im-

8o HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

perfection in the work which has escaped the notice of
the workmen at the factory where it was fitted up, he
will quickly discover the cause and correct it.

But not so with a large majority of the planing-ma-
chines that are sent out from the different manufac-
tories. A few, it is true, go into the hands of men who
thoroughly understand their business ; and if a machine
is properly put up and adjusted at the factory, there
never will be any trouble in putting it in successful
operation. But a large portion of the planers which
are sent out from the different manufacturers go into
the hands of inexperienced operators, who are not prac-
tical mechanics, and whose experience with machinery
is very limited. And as a general rule the machine is
belted up, and started just as it came from the factory ;
and if everything happens to be in perfect adjustment,
and is level and out of wind, it may go off all right.
But if there should be any little imperfection in the
fitting or adjustment, it is not usually discovered until
something begins to smoke, and then perhaps the dif^-
culty, whatever it may be, is not remedied until the
machine is seriously damaged.

The rapid motion of a planer is such that, in order to
avoid vibration, it requires that the frame be not only
solid, but well put together. And here is a point where
the skill and judgment of the designer are brought into
requisition. It is not always the case that the frame
having the greatest number of pounds of metal is the
strongest and most efficient in resisting vibrations.
Frames are frequently met with, the plates of which
may be an inch thick, surrounded by a flat moulding.
Such frames, although they contain an abundance of

BEST PROPORTION FOR THE CYLINDER. 8 1

metal, are not well calculated to resist lateral vibra-
tion ; for it must be understood that, with a combined
planer and matcher, the tendency for vibrating sidewise
is as great as perpendicular. Therefore, if the same
frame, instead of its plate being one inch thick, it were
just one half of that thickness, and the other half were put
into wide, heavy ribs, with the same quantity of metal,
doublethe strength to resist vibrations wouldbe obtained.

The double plate frame which has recently been
adopted by many first-class firms, if properly propor-
tioned, and the plates far enough apart to give suffi-
cient depth, is probably one of the strongest frames that
can be made from the same amount of metal. But to
answer well the purpose designed, the space between
the plates, for heavy machines, should not be less than
two inches.

The plates in this style of frame may be quite thin,
and yet very strong and substantial. Whatever style
of frame may be adopted, it should be put together
with planed joints ; and the top, wherever any of the
works are attached, should be planed square and
straight and lengthwise, so that when it is set up and
bolted together the top of both sides of the frame
will be square and parallel with each other. Then
the whole frame should be levelled up both crosswise
and lengthwise before any of the other parts are at-
tached ; and when thus set up, it should never be
moved or changed until the machine is completed.
The bed-plate for the top cylinder should next be put
on and bolted to the frame ; and if it has been carefully
and accurately planed, it should agree with the frame
and be perfectly level both ways. The back shaft

82 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

should then be fitted into its boxes by the same level,
and squared from a line previously drawn through the
bed and square with the frame. From these two points
all other parts of the machine should be put up and
squared and levelled.

The advantages of erecting a machine in this man-
ner, and always working from these two points, are
that if every part is thus put up with reference to these
two points, when the machine is finished and shipped
to its destination and set up, if carefully levelled from
these two points, every other part of the machine will
be true and out of wind. Frequent cases have occurred
where machines have been set up without reference to
these two points, but levelled anywhere on the frame,
that have given a great deal of trouble by heating the rol-
ler-boxes, binding so as to cut and. get stuck fast, and
many other troubles, before the real cause was discov-
ered, and the manufacturer it often blamed for the ignor-
ance of the operator ; whereas, if proper instructions
had been given, and those instructions carried out, the
machine would have started off all right in the first
instance.

In all modern machines the bearings are all much
longer than formerly. The cylinder-boxes, instead of
from four to six inches, are now made from ten to
twelve inches long ; and when bearings of that length
are babbited and scraped down to a perfect fit and suf-
ficient packing put between the box and cap, the caps
may be screwed down tight, and yet the cylinder will
be perfectly free to revolve. But just raise one foot of
the frame sufficient to put a piece of thin pasteboard
under it, and it will cause the cylinder-boxes to so bind

RELATIVE LENGTH AND SIZE OF JOURNALS. 83

that it will be impossible to turn it with the hand with-
out loosening up the caps and adding nnore packing.
And if the machine were run in that condition, it will be
found that the shaft does not bear upon the whole sur-
face of the box, but only upon a small portion of it ;
and the consequence is, it will heat, and continue to
heat, until it wears down again to a perfect bearing.

This accounts for the tendency of all new machines
to heat when first started. It is almost impossible to
place the machine exactly in the same position that it
was when first set up in the shop ; but if especial care
is manifested in levelling across the bed-plate and
through the boxes of the back shaft, that point may be
found so near that a machine will frequently start up
without any inconvenience from heating.

For a planer weighing 8000 pounds the frame should
not be less than from 11 to 12 feet long over all. The
cylinder should not be less than 7 inches in diameter
at the extreme points ; it should be four-sided, and pro-
vided with slots planed on all four sides, and of suffi-
cient width and depth to admit of af bolt, with a head
ij inches square and f thick, for holding the knives.
The thickness of metal from the face of the cylinder to
the slot should be -f^ inch. The reason for making
this part thicker than the head of the bolt, is that in
case of accident, when something must break, it is bet-
ter for the bolt-head to give way than to tear a piece
out of the face of the cylinder, as is sometimes the
case when the greatest strength was in the bolt-head.

The cylinder being the most important part of the
machine, and as the forged cast-steel cylinder has now
come into general use, the hints given for the fitting up
of cylinders are applicable to that style.

84 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

The first step preparatory to fitting up a forged cast-
steel cylinder, should be to carefully centre the ends
which project from it and form the shaft and jour-
nals. After the proper centre is found, and marked
with the center-punch, a fine drill should be run in at
least one fourth of an inch, so as to prevent the ex-
treme point of the lathe-centre from coming in contact
with the steel during the process of turning ; other-
wise, as the centre in the shaft wears away during this
process if allowed to bear upon the extreme point, it
would be very apt to work to one side or the other of
the true centre and cause the work to run out before it
was finished. Besides, the small hole forms a recep-
tacle for oil, and prevents it from cutting the centre.

When the centres are properly prepared, the work
should be put in the lathe and tested. If found suffi-
ciently true, and there is surplus stock enough to work
to the standard size, it is better to fit it up just as it
came from the forge ; but if not sufficiently true and
the shaft requires to be sprung, never attempt to bend
it cold, for two reasons : One is that they are liable to
snap off, and the cylinder be spoiled ; another is that a
cast-steel shaft bent cold is very liable to go back again
after being finished, especially should it ever become
heated when running. Therefore, the safest way, if the
shaft must be sprung before turning, is to heat it care-
fully and uniformly at the forge until it shows a dull
red heat, and spring it in a press for that purpose. If
there is no press at hand, it may be put in the lathe on
its centres, and, by the use of a bar over the rest, may
be sprung in that manner.

When the straightening is completed, never lay it on
the ground to cool. Place it upon something in some

CAST-STEEL CYLINDERS. 85

convenient place so that the air may have free access
to it on all sides. Otherwise, if placed so that one side
cools faster than the other, that side will in all proba-
bility be harder than the other, and every experienced
operator of planing-mills knows that, unless the journals
of a planing-machine cylinder are perfectly round, they
will not run without heating ; and when one side of a
journal is harder than the other, it is impossible to keep
them round. If the machinist succeeds in making
them round in the first place, it will only be a question
of a very short time when they will not be so. When
the cylinder is sufficiently cool to work a cut should be
taken over every part of the surface ; then, if there
should be any imperfections or any part disposed to
spring, these defects should be discovered before pro-
ceeding to finish it.

The journals, or that part of the shaft which forms
them, should be left large enough to admit of another
turning in order to finish it after the planing is com-
pleted. When ready for the planer, it should be put
upon its centres, and, by means of templets, every part
should be reduced to the same uniform size and shape,
in order to secure a correct running-balance when fin-
ished. When taken back to the lathe after the planing
is cpmpleted, the points should be carefully tested with
a tool to ascertain whether any part has become sprung
during this process. If so, never attempt to spring it
back, but, with a pointed scraper, scrape out from the
opposite side of the centre so as to draw it sufiiciently
to cause every point of the cylinder to touch the tool
alike when it is turned carefully around with the hand.

Now, with a sharp, well-tempered tool, the bearings

86 HISTORY OF THE PLANING- MILL.

may be turned for the pulleys, and lastly, by a series of
light, fine cuts, the journals may be finished to the
standard size. If the last cut is very light, and the
point of the tool the proper shape, it may be finished
without the use of a file ; for the least filing that is done,
the better. But if a file must be used, it should be a
very fine one, and used lightly.

When the finishing is completed, it is ready to bal-
ance. The balancing-bars should consist of two pieces
of steel not over one sixteenth of an inch thick on the
edge, and perfectly straight, set into cast-iron blocks,
with adjusting-screws attached to the foot of each, so
"that, when placed upon a planer bed or other suitable
platen, they may be adjusted to a perfect level ; so
that, when the cylinder is placed upon them, the least
variation in weight may cause it to roll.

A cylinder or any other body when so placed upon
its journals or a mandrel, if in perfect balance will re-
main at rest in any position it may be placed. If found
in perfect balance after being tested upon the bars, it is
supposed to be finished ; but if not, then it should be
placed upon the planer, and a small amount taken off
from the heavy side to correct it. But in all cases,
whatever is taken off should be from the whole length
and upon the centres.

The practice of drilling holes upon the heavy side is
abominable, and should never be tolerated. Each bolt
and nut should be tested upon a pair of sensitive bal-
ancing-scales (which every shop should possess), so that
each may be of the same weight, and also that if by any
means they should become changed, the balance of the
cylinder may not be affected by it. The cylinder pulleys

CAST- STEEL CYLINDERS. 87

should be turned on the inside as well as the outside,
and each carefully balanced afterwards separately ; for
if either of them should not be in balance, it will affect
the working of the machine just as much as if the cyl-
inder itself was out of balance.

Lastly, the knives should be examined and tested.
Although each knife composing a set is supposed to be
balanced at the factory where they are manufactured,
yet it is difficult to find a set that is sufficiently per-
fect to send out with a high-speedecf machine without
rebalancing.

This is one of the most difficult operations to con-
tend with unless a machine expressly designed for that
purpose is at hand. A set of knives may each show
the same weight when placed upon opposite sides of
the scales, and still be far from a perfect balance when
attached to the cylinder, and run. This is caused by
the grinder not being particular enough in preserving
a uniform thickness from one end to the other, or in
punching the slots not uniform in depth.

Now, if any two knives in a set should happen to
have the same defect on opposite ends, while they
might show the same weight on the balancing scales,
the difference in weight on the opposite ends would
make music that would be anything but harmonious to
the ears of a careful operator.

In the absence of an instrument for this purpose, the
best way to test this fault and correct it is with a sin-'
gle bar. An old knife set in a block of wood answers
the purpose very well. Then, with a sharp scratch, draw
a line across the back of the knife exactly in the centre,
making it deep enough so that it will not sHp off when

88 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

jaid across it ; then lay the knife across the bar in the
manner just described, when any imperfections in this
respect may be discovered and remedied by grinding
off from the back towards the heavy end. Some de-
pend upon the caHpers for testing the width and thick-
ness ; but if a knife has the defects just described, the
calipers will not correct it.

It may be said that all this care takes time and
money, and adds to the expense of the machine. The
answer is that, if you intend to send out a perfect-run-
ning machine, and one that will give satisfaction and
keep up your reputation, you must expect to spend
time and money ; and if your customers are not willing
to pay a fair price that will warrant a good machine, it
is better to let them go to some firm that makes a
specialty of cheap work, and suffer the consequences.

SPEEDING WOOD-WORKING MACHINERY. 89

CHAPTER XL

SPEEDING WOOD-WORKING MACHINERY — VARIA-
TION OF SPEED IN DIFFERENT MILIS— CENTRIF-
UGAL FORCE— TENSILE STRENGTH OF BOLTS-
PULLEYS, ETC.

Much has been written by practical men upon the
subject of speed. Cylinders, cutter- heads, steps,
boxes, etc., have all been pretty well overhauled ; but
after all, little has been said upon the subject of the
proper speed that should be given them. This subject,
as Jack Easy would say, will admit of argument.

Proper speed for all wood-working machinery is of
vital importance both to the owner and the operator.
It is important to the owner, because machines speeded
in a proper manner are enabled to turn out the great-
est quantity of first-class work in a given time without
unnecessary wear and tear. There is no profit in forc-
ing a machine to earn seventy-five cents more in a day
by overspeeding it if the spoiled work and extra cost
for repairs amount to ninety. It is also important to
the operator to know whether the speed at which his
machine is running is beyond the margin of safety, and
whether his own life is not constantly in jeopardy in
consequence. Again, if a machine is speeded below
the average, a sufificient quantity of good work cannot
be turned out in a given time to make it profitable;

90 HISTORY OF THE FLANING-MILL.

and in many cases the operator is unjustly blamed in
consequence.

It would astonish any one to put a speed-indicator in
his vest pocket, and visit a few planing-mills located in
different parts of the country, and note the difference
in speed among the same class of machines. He would
find in about six cases out of ten that the proprietor or
his foreman could not tell just what speed their ma-
chines were running.

Speed, like everything also, is based upon certain
principles and governed by general laws, no matter
whether it be the cylinder of a planing or moulding
machine, a circular saw, or a pulley. There is always a
point which it is neither safe or profitable to go be-
yond. One man may for a time get twice the amount
of work out of a machine that his neighbor does ; but
if he does it at a large expenditure of wear and tear, he
will find in a short time that his machine is used up and
incapable of doing good work, while his neighbor's is
practically as good as ever.

Now, the only question involved is : Did the first
man get enough extra earnings besides repairs in that
time out of his machine to enable him to purchase an-
other as good ? If not, then he is a loser by the trans-
action.

We are well aware of the fact that machines that are
kept in first-class order, with every part in perfect bal-
ance, will stand more speed than those which are not ;
but as every machine, if run at all, should be kept in
order, it is not necessary to discuss the speed of those
which are not.

If asked for an opinion as to the best speed at which

VARIATION OF SPEED IN DIFFERENT MILES. QI

a planing-machlne cylinder should be run that was not
in balance I should reply : Do not run it at all— at least
until it is balanced.

There is a question of safety involved with all fast-
running machinery, as well as profit, to be taken into
consideration. No one has the right, either legally or
morally, to cause his machinery to be run at a speed
that will endanger the lives of his employees, for the
sake of extra profit. Implicit reliance cannot be placed
in the circulars which are sent out by different manu-
facturers, as far as speed is concerned. One manufac-
turer will say that the best and most economical speed
for the cylinders of his machine is 3600 revolutions per
minute ; another will give 4000 ; while another will put
it at 4500 ; while still another will say that his machine,
" owing to its extra strength, etc., will run 5000 revolu-
tions per minute with perfect safety," and he will guar-
antee it to do first-class work at that speed.

Now, from personal knowledge of each machine,
there is no perceptible difference, so far as the cylinders
are concerned. They are all about the same diameter,
and the shafts and boxes about the same size, and fitted
up in the same manner ; and each have the same
strength, and one runs as smooth as the other, and
there is no good reason why one will not stand as much
speed as the other.

If 3600 revolutions per minute is the best and most
profitable speed for one, 5000 revolutions is altogether
too much for the other. The only true way to decide
this question is to reduce it to plain figures, which "do
not lie," and then let the candid judgment of those
who are in favor of '' lightning " machines decide

92 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

whether there is safety or profit in being governed by
the circulars of those manufacturers, put forth in that
shape for the sole purpose of selling their machines,
and who, as long as they can make a sale, and their own
lives are not jeopardized, give no further thought of
the consequences that might follow.

It is a well-known fact that all bodies revolving
around a common fixed centre have a tendency to fly
off in a line tangent to that centre, and that force in-
creases in proportion as the square of the velocity.
Hence, in all bodies of equal weight, moving in equal
circles and at a uniform velocity, the centrifugal force
is the same. But all bodies of equal weight in equal
circles, but moving with unequal velocities, are inversely
to each other as the square of their velocities.

In calculating the centrifugal force of a revolving
body, the diameter should be taken at the centre of
gravity. This is a line through which, if the body were
divided upon that line, each part would be of equal
weight. With pulleys, fly-wheels, and other regular-
shaped bodies of that kind, the centre of gravity usually
lies near the outward surface, and is more readily de-
termined than irregular-shaped bodies — such as planing-
cylinders and side cutter-heads, etc.

To find the centrifugal force of a revolving body, the
following rule is applicable : Multiply the square of the
velocity in feet per second by the weight, and divide
this product by 32 times the radius in feet at the centre
of gravity. This quotient will give the centrifugal force
in pounds. Now examine this cylinder, which is 7 inches
in diameter, and said to be safe at 5000 revolutions per
minute. As the knife is the only weight which will be

CENTRIFUGAL FORCE. 93

considered at this time, and is carried upon the outside,
it is safe to say that the centre of gravity Hes not far
from a point taken from the under side of the knife,
which would be a circle of 7 inches diamater, or a radius
of 3|- inches.

Assume the weight of a 24-inch knife to be 8
pounds. Then, 5000 revolutions would be equal to
152.75 per second, the square of which is equal to
23,332.5; then 23,332.5 X 8 == 186,660.48 -^ 9i(the pro-
duct of 32 times the radius in feet) = 19,999.31 pounds
for the centrifugal strain. As nearly all knives, and
this one in particular, are fastened to the cylinder by 6
bolts f of an inch in diameter, each bolt would be re-
quired to withstand one sixth of the strain, which would
be equal to 3333.21 pounds.

The tensile strength of the best Norway iron is 80,000
pounds to the square inch, and a bolt f inch in
diameter at the bottom of the thread has a sectional
area of .24 square inch, the breaking strain of which
would be 19,200 pounds ; so that if there was
nothing but centrifugal strain to contend with, there
would be no danger at that speed. But the screwing
of them down is an important factor, to be taken
into consideration ; and here is where the greatest
danger lies, especially in the hands of a careless or in-
experienced operator. It is quite common to find
wrenches used for this purpose with a handle 12 inches
long, and sometimes more.

Let us consider the effect that this long-handled
instrument may have upon the tensile strength of the
bolt. The average bolt, as we said before, is five-
eighths of an inch in diameter, with a lead of 12 threads

94 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

to the inch. Therefore, to move the bolt forward yV
inch, it must make one complete revolution, and the
handle of the wrench would move through a space of 75
inches ; and, by the rule for calculating the power of a
screw, the proportion would be as -^^ to 75. And if
the operator exerted a strain, upon the extreme end
of the handle, of 25 pounds, then the proportion
would be thus: J^ : 75 :: 25 : 22,500 pounds. Now,
add to this the 3333-21 pounds of centrifugal
force, and the result is 3333.21 -]- 22,500 = 25,833.21
pounds.

Now, by comparing this with the tensile strength of
the bolt (19,200 pounds), the result is 6633.21 pounds
beyond the tensile strength of the bolt. But friction,
which is generally considered as the enemy of
all mechanical movements, here comes in as a friendly
element. The friction upon two similar surfaces within
the point of abrasion is .25 of the weight which is
pressing them together up to that point. As soon as
the. point of abrasion is reached, it increases to from
.40 to .50 and upwards ; and as the marks on the back
of the knives immediately under the bolt-heads plainly
show that, every time they are screwed down, the point
of abrasion is reached, the frictional resistance offered
to this long-handled instrument is at least .40 of its
power.

Assuming this to be the case, the tensile strain upon
the bolt would be reduced from 22,500 pounds to
13^500, which, with the original centrifugal strain of
3333.21 pounds added, the result would be 16,833.21
pounds. This deducted from 19,200 pounds, the ulti-
mate strength of the bolt, would leave a margin of

TENSILE STRENGTH OF BOLTS. 95

safety of only 2367 pounds, which is much too small
to meet all contingencies. And is it any wonder that
bolts break and knives fly off on those fast-running
machines ?

The strain upon the cylinder-bolts and the liability
of the knives flying off in over-speeded machines is not
the only element of danger. Over-speeded pulleys are
just as liable to fly to pieces, and do damage to the
machine, as well as the operator. It is not practical
to use pulleys on the cylinder shaft of less diameter
than 4^ inches, as smaller ones soon destroy the belts
and are deficient in friction surface. Neither is it
practical or convenient, as the planing-machine is
usually constructed, to use pulleys on the back-shaft
of a greater diameter than 20 inches ; otherwise, the
back-shaft would be too high to allow the matcher-
belts to run in their proper place.

Now, suppose the pulleys on the back-shaft to be 20
inches in diameter and 4J- inches wide on the face :
which would be the right proportion for this purpose,
with the average thickness of the rim f of an inch?
This pulley, in order to drive the cylinder 5000 revolu-
tions per minute, would require a speed of 1125 revolu-
tions per minute. Allowing the weight of the rim to
be 30 pounds (the weight of the arms and hub not
taken into consideration ), which is about the average
for pulleys of this size, the centrifugal strain, by the
rules already given would be as follows : The circum-
ference in feet (5.2375) multiphed by the speed (i 125
revolutions), and divided by 60, equals 98.202, the speed
in feet per second. The square of this number, multi-
plied by the weight and divided by 32 times the radius

9^ HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

in feet, equals the centrifugal strain ; which will be found
to equal 10851.79 pounds. The rim of this pulley
contains a sectional area of about one square inch, and
the tensile strength of the best samples of cast-iron, as
determined by Major Wade, of the United States
Ordnance Department, is from 15000 to 16000 pounds
to the square inch.

It will be remembered, however, that those tests were
made upon the basis of cast-iron bars one inch square,
and from the best samples, perfectly sound and free
from dirt or air-holes ; and it is a question whether the
average castings obtained from the foundry from day
to day will come anywhere near to this standard of
strength. But suppose every pulley was perfect and
the iron up to the standard of strength : there is, then,
only a margin of safety of 3810.40 pounds, which is far
below the standard of safety ; for no piece of machinery
in constant use and submitted to the same constant
strain from day to day should be taxed over one half of
its ultimate strength. Again, the shape of the material
and the manner in which the strain is appHed has much
to do with it. If the pulley rim, instead of being a flat
piece A,\ inches wide and f inch thick, were put in the
shape of a square bar, which would be about one inch
square, it is reasonable to suppose that it would stand
a much greater strain than in its present form, and
in the manner in which the strain is applied.

The same rule may be appHed to this which is ap-
pHed to beams and girders ; and it is unnecessary to
state what every one knows — that a cast-iron beam
4-|- inches wide and f inch thick will sustain more
than four times the load when placed edgewise, that it

PULLEYS, ETC. 97

would if placed flatwise. And there is but one conclu-
sion that we can arrive at ; and that is, that pulleys of
the dimension given are not safe at such high speed.

Aside from the question of safety, there is also a
question of economy involved that is worthy of con-
sideration.

98 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

CHAPTER XII.

IMPORTANCE OF CARE IN PUTTING UP AND AD-
JUSTING NEW MACHINES— THE NECESSITY
OF EMPLOYING COMPETENT MEN— MISTAKES
OFTEN MADE IN SPEED — ANECDOTE — ANNOY-
ANCE FROM BAD BELTS— MATCHER-BELTS RE-
QUIRE EXTRA CARE, ETC.

In a former chapter on the construction of ma-
chinery as applied to this class of work, the opinions
expressed are the result of over thirty years of practi-
cal experience in the manufacture and use of planing-
mill machinery.

What we have said of the planing-machine is equally
applicable to the moulding-machine, tennoning-mia-
chine, sticker, and all other machines used in wood-
working. They are all constructed substantially upon
the same principle, and may be considered under one
head.

No matter how well and perfect a machine may be
constructed, if it is not kept in working order, good
work cannot be expected from it. It depends a great
deal upon the manner in which a machine is set up.
Placmg a machine in a mill, and belting it up, is not all
there is of it. There are certain points about every
machine to level from, so as to take the working-parts
out of wind. These points should be ascertained and
worked from until every part is free to work, before

PUTTING UP AND ADJUSTING NEW MACHINES. 99

the belts are put on. Many good machines have got a
bad name on the start by not being properly set up
and adjusted. To a certain extent, the manufacturers
themselves are to blame. Whenever a machine is sold,
the manufacturer should insist upon having a good
competent man on hand to attend to the putting up
and starting. Unless the purchaser has a man of ex-
perience and ability already in his employ, the manu-
facturer should send a man from the works even if he
is obliged to do it at his own expense.

When a machine, thus started up by a competant
man, starts off all right and performs its work in a
satisfactory manner for two or three days, there is no
reason why it should not continue to do so as long as it
is kept in good running order. The reputation of a
machine may thus be established so that, if by subse-
quent neglect the machine does bad work, the manu-
facturer cannot be held responsible for it.

Competition at the present time is injurious to both
the manufacturer and user. In their anxiety to sell,
they seem to care but little whose hand it goes into
on the start, as long as they can succeed in making
a sale, and seldom take the trouble even to inquire
whether the purchaser is a practical man himself, or
whether he has a man who is. And the result is that
many good machines have been condemned and given
a bad reputation through the ignorance and incompe-
tancy of the operator ; when, if the manufacturer had
ascertained these facts beforehand, and insisted upon
sending a competant man to take charge of it for a few
days, everything would have gone off all right and sat-
isfactorily, and the future operator would have received

100 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

valuable information, which would have been of use to
him for the future management of it. If the purchas-
er is not in possession of a competent man for this
purpose, he should be liberal enough to pay at least
the expense of a man from the works to give the nec-
essary instructions ; for in nine cases out of ten, the
delay in starting the mill, and the lumber wasted before
the inexperienced operator succeeds in getting the ma-
chine in working order, will more than pay those
expenses — to say nothing about the liability of accidents
or damage to the machine.

It is often the case that the foreman of the mill may
be a man of unquestionable experience and ability; yet
his whole experience has been limited to some one par-
ticular style of machine, and, it might be said truly, that
what he did not know about that particular make of
machine was not worth knowing. But give him a new
machine of some other manufacture, and it will require
several days for him to become acquainted with all of
its peculiarities. Whereas, a man from the factory,
who is accustomed to sitting up and testing those ma-
chines, would explain to him in a few hours all of those
peculiarities.

But it is often the case, especially where a new mill
is started, that, while the proprietors may be first-class
lumbermen, but with no practical knowledge of ma-
chinery, the man who is engaged to take charge of it
may be a competent man or he may not. The machinery
is purchased and put in the mill, and the manufacturer
must take his chances whether his machine will have a
fair chance on the start or not ; or whether he will not
be compelled in the end to send a man to straighten

NECESSITY OF EMPLOYING COMPETENT MEN. lOI

things out before he can get a settlement for them —
not only to put the machine in working order, but per-
haps repair damages which it might have sustained
through ignorance on the part of the operator, which
might have been avoided had a competent man been
sent in the first instance.

There is another thing that manufacturers, as a class,
are not particular enough about ; and that is the speed
at which their machines are run. It makes consid-
erable difference, both in quantity and quality of the
work, whether the cylinders are run 3000, 3500, of 4000
revolutions per minute. The purchaser is informed
that the cylinder should run perhaps 3600 ; and in
order to do so, the speed of the back-shaft must be
900. He goes home and consults with some genius
who is a carpenter, blacksmith, machinist, and mill-
wright, all combined. He finds the line-shaft will run
about so and so, and that a pulley of about such a size
will be about right. A pulley is obtained about the
size referred to ; in his opinion an inch or two either
way will not make much difference and is near enough.
Finally, the machine is started up ; it may run 3000, or
it may run 4000, and perhaps more or less. However
it hums and makes considerable noise, and they finally
agree that the speed is about right ; but the work, as
far as quantity is concerned, is not satisfactory. The
machine is not turning out the quantity of work that
it was guaranteed to do ; and the manufacturer is either
obliged to go himself or send a man to find out what
the trouble is, and correct it before a satisfactory set-
tlement can be obtained.

This is no fancy sketch. A case of this kind oncQ

102 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

came under the observation of the writer. A machine
was sold in a neighboring city. The machine was war-
ranted to plane and match fifty lineal feet per minute,
and do first-class work, with a cylinder speed of 3600
revolutions per minute. I suggested that a man from
the works should be sent to put it up and start it. The
purchaser replied that it would not be necessary, as he
had a first-class man, who was a competent millwright,
to take charge of it, and the speed would be properly
attended to.

In a few days after the machine was started, a letter
was received, stating that the machine was not working
satisfactory, and that there was a miscalculation in the
feed, and that only about forty lineal feet per minute
could be dressed and make good work. They had
tried a larger feed-pulley so as to bring the feed up to
fifty feet, but it made rough work and tore up the edges
of the board in matching so that they had to abandon
its use. I notified them by telegraph that I would be
there the next day.

I arrived at their office in due time, w^hich was in one
corner of the mill ; and as soon as I heard the hum of
the cylinders, I was satisfied where the trouble was. I
inquired if their machinery was running up to the
regular speed ; they replied that it was. I informed
him if that was the case, unless my ears were greatly at
fault, the planer was not running up to its speed by con-
siderable. He replied that the machine was running
even faster than I had recommended. His millwright,
Mr. A., had calculated the size of the pulley, and Mr. A.
nev^rmade any mistakes in his figures, and the machine

MISTAKEB OFTEN MADE IN SPEED, IO3

was really running 4200 revolutions per minute, and
that I had made a mistake In calculating the feed.

I told him I was not a betting man, but I would
agree to purchase cigars for the whole party if, after a
close calculation, the speed was over 3200 revolutions;
and that Mr. A. should measure the diameter of the
several pulleys as soon as they shut down at noon, and,
if I was not right, I would make any alterations neces-
sary, at my own expense, or they could ship the machine
back at my expense.

They admitted that this was fair enough ; and after
dinner, Mr. A. brought in a list of the several pulleys,
including the band-wheel and speed of the engine. I
figured up the speed, and found the cylinders running
a trifle less than 3000. I then told Mr. A. that he
must lag up that driving-pulley just seven inches, and
we would see what effect that would have. Mr. A.
demurred a little, saying that he did not believe the
machine would stand any such speed, and that It would
not be safe to run it. I told him that did not matter,
as I would rim the machine myself until he was satisfied
on that question, but I must have the speed if they
required the machine to fulfil the conditions of my
guaranty.

Accordingly the pulley was lagged up and the machine
started. It ran perfectly steady and turned out the
fifty lineal feet per minute, and was perfectly satisfactory
to all concerned ; and Mr. A. was obliged to admit that
at least once in his life he had made a mistake in his
figures.

After a planlng-machine, or. In fact, any other machine
Is started up and put In running order, it must not be

104 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

expected or taken for granted that it will continue so
for any length of time unless it is constantly watched
and everything kept in perfect adjustment. No class
of machinery needs closer watching. With the con-
stant vibrations which this class of machinery is sub-
jected to, bolts and set-screws and nuts will work
loose, no matter how well they are fitted ; knives and
cutters will become dull with use, and require sharpen-
ing, balancing, and resetting; belts will become slack
and require taking up ; the foundation under the
machine may settle (especially if none too solid in the
first place), and throw the machine out of line, cramp
the journals, and cause them to heat ; and a hundred
other things, too numerous to mention. And only the
diligent and watchful care of an experienced operator
will detect and remedy these difficulties.

When a machine, especially if it is a heavy one, has
run smooth and free for several weeks, and then, with-
out any apparent cause, begins to heat, there is some
cause for it ; for when a machine has run free for that
length of time, there is no good reason why it should
not continue to do so for months, provided that proper
care is manifested in reducing the packing, and screw-
ing down the caps as the metal lining wears away. But
if boxes continue to heat and bind, the probabilities
are that the foundation has settled ; and it is always
best, before attempting to readjust anything, to try the
spirit-level upon those points from which the machine
was first adjusted,, and, if the foundation has settled, it
will readily be discovered and remedied at once: for a
machine should never be run one hour after it is dis-
covered to be out of line or winding. If the foundation

ANNOYANCE FROM BAD BELTS. I05

is good, but the shrinkage of the timbers has changed
its position with reference to the machine, it is better
not to disturb it ; but with a few shingles used under
the legs of the machine, .it can be brought back to its
former position.

When this is carefully attended to, the chances are
that the machine will go off all right without any fur-
ther adjustment. But if it should continue to heat, it
is evident that there is some other cause, which must
be hunted up and remedied, for there is no economy
in pouring on oil and running a machine with hot jour-
nals. Dirty, gummy oil is frequently the cause. In this
case, the cyhnder should be taken out, the boxes well
cleaned, and the journals wiped off ; and after properly
adjusting the packing so that the caps may be screwed
down solid, the shaft will be free to turn without any
play in the boxes. It is quite a particular job, and one
that requires considerable care and judgment, to so
regulate the packing that, while there will be no play
in the boxes, they may not bind upon the journals ; for
a very slight pressure will cause them to heat, while a
very little play will make small corrugations upon the
face of the lumber that is being planed.

Care should be taken in grinding knives and cutters,
so that they may be kept in perfect balance. If a new
set of knives are in perfect balance, it is an easy matter
to keep them so if sufficient care is manifested in
grinding.

The side-cutters should also have close attention.;
and no matter what style of head is used, the cutters
should be kept not only sharp and in good shape, but

Io6 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

especial care should be had in filing or grinding, to keep
them of the same weight.

The cutting edge of a matcher-bit seldom exceeds
two inches in width ; so, that if they are all of the same
thickness, and kept the same length, they will always
be in running balance.

Bad belts are not only a great annoyance to the
operator, but sometimes a source of great damage to
the machine. There is no economy in running crooked
belts, flopping about from one side of the pulley to the
other, with thick, hard laps that spring the shaft every
time they pass over the pulley. The sooner such belts
are dispensed with and consigned to the junk-heap, the
better it will be for the proprietor, and save a great
deal of time and swearing on the part of the operator.

It is a fact that may easily be demonstrated in
most planing-mills, that the time spent in the course of
a year in patching and sewing old belts, if carefully
taken and kept an account of, would amount to a sum
sufficient to more than pay for new ones. When a belt
becomes so rotten and worn that it requires mending
every few days, the cheapest plan is to mend it at once
with a new one.

The matcher-belts require more care and should be
of better quality than any other belt about the machine.
From the manner in which they run, they will get
crooked no matter how good they may be. When they
get so, if they are not attended to, they will run to the
top of the pulley and soon cut themselves to pieces
against the upright. In order to keep them in shape,
so as to run well and remain on the pulleys in their

MATCHER-BELrS REQUIRE EXTRA CARE, ETC. I07

proper places, they should be (especially when new)
turned every day ; and. even after they are done stretch-
ing whenever they are inclined to ruu high upon the
pulley, this may be corrected by turning them over on
the pulleys.

I once had a case of this kind, which is cited to illus-
trate how little judgment and forethought some men
manifest in the management of machinery.

A medium-sized machine was sold to a party who
claimed to have a man of large experience as a planing-
machine operator to take charge of and run it. After
a few weeks, a letter was received, stating that some-
thing must be done with that machine, for the matcher-
belts run over the tops of the pulleys and cut them-
selves to pieces in a short time, and that he had already
used up two new sets of belts. His foreman thought
there should be flanges on the upper end of the pulleys,
but the back-shaft was too high and should be lowered ;
in fact, every man in the mill had a remedy for it, ex-
cept the right one.

I called on him, and he informed me that he had put
on a new set of belts only a day or two previous ; and
they had already began to act in the same manner as
the others had done. I asked the foreman if he had
ever turned them. He replied no ; that he had never
heard of such a thing before. He had run So-and-so's
machine for six months before, and never had any
trouble of that kind with the belts.

The belts were taken off and laid out on the floor.
Instead of being straight, they described a circle of
twelve or thirteen feet radius. The belts were turned
end for end and put on again, when, instead of running

I08 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

up on the pulleys, they ran down hard on the bottom
flanges for a while, and then worked up to the centre of
the pulleys, where they remained. I advised him to
turn the belts frequently, and they would give him no
further trouble. And as there were no further com-
plaints, I concluded that the suggestion was acted
upon.

It is well known among all skilled mechanics that all
quarter-twist belts, where the upright shaft is at right
angles to the driving one, will find their own natural
position upon the face of a pulley, no matter whether it
is crowning or straight on the face, so long as the rela-
tive position of the two shafts remains unchanged ; and
where an upright shaft is driven by a pulley on a hori-
zontal one, as is the case with the matcher spindles of
a combined planing and matching machine, the lead-
ing side of the belt, or that side which is running to-
wards the driven pulley, will always follow a line at
right angles with the upright and the top or driving
side of the belt. That being the center of the pulley,
one half of the width of the belt will run above that
line, and the other half below it, provided the belt is
perfectly straight ; and as long as these conditions are
fulfilled the belt will run in the centre of the pulley
upon the upright shaft.

It is also well known to all practical men that the
position of a quarter-twist belt is such that the strain
upon the upper edge is much greater than upon the
lower. And when the belt becomes stretched out of a
straight line, it has the same effect as changing the
angle of the upright shaft ; and the belt will run above
its real path just in proportion as it would vary from a

MATCHER-BELTS REQUIRE EXTRA CARE, ETC. IO9

straight line provided it was taken o£f and laid upon
the floor. Hence the necessity of frequently changing
such belts by turning them over ; and all quarter-twist
belts, no matter what their size or width or for what-
ever purpose they are used, should be joined together
by fastenings that will admit of either side being run
next to the pulley

no HISTORY OF THE PLANlNG-MlLL,

CHAPTER XIII.

FEED-ROLLS — MANNER OF CASTING THEM— TROU-
BLE CA USED B V IMPERFECT ROLLS, IMPERFECT
GEARING, ETC.

The feed-rolls of a planing-machine, although not
requiring the same mechanical skill and judgment as
the cylinder and side cutters, should be carefully and
accurately fitted. In most cases, they are cast
upon the wrought-iron shafts that are used for their
bearings, and to which the driving-gears are attached.
If the shafts are heavy and properly prepared, the rolls
may be cast upon them so as to be as strong and dura-
ble as any other means of fastening. The trouble ex-
perienced in many mills by the rollers working loose
upon the shafts is in the imperfect manner of prepar-
ing them before being taken to the foundry.

In many cases, where rolls have been brought to the
shop for repairs, upon examination it was found that
only a few shallow holes had been drilled into the
shaft at that point where the iron closes around it, the
centre being cored out, leaving a bearing of from one
and one half to two inches upon each end, the balance
forming a cylinder of about one half inch thick.

The coring out of the centre is well enough, as a
round cylinder one half inch thick is strong enough to
stand all the strain that would ever be brought to bear
upon it. But the short bearings at the ends, and se-

MANNER OF CASTING FEED-ROLLS. Ill

cured only by a few holes drilled into the shaft, is not
sufficient to hold it ; and with rolls cast upon the
shafts in this manner, it will only be a question of time
when they will work loose.

All practical mechanics should know that the shrink-
age of cast and wrought iron is not equal, the latter
expanding by heat and contracting by cold more
than the former ; and as that part of the shaft which
comes in immediate contact with the melted iron be-
comes as hot as the casting in a few minutes, when
both cool off together the wrought-iron will shrink
more than the cast and have a tendency to draw away
from it unless some provision is made to counteract
this tendency. If not, in nine cases out of ten, a slight
jar will start them loose from the shaft before they
leave the foundry.

The most effective manner to prevent this defect is:
In the first place, there should not be less than three
inches bearing on each end of the roll where the
wrought and cast iron come in contact. This may be
done by casting collars upon each end of the rolls long
enough to fill up the space between the boxes and the
end of the roll.

That part of the shaft which comes in contact with
the casting should be turned down just sufficient to
insure a clean surface ; for the cast-iron will not lay
upon the surface if there is rust or other foreign mat-
ter adhering to it, but will boil and bubbl^so that the
surface in contact, instead of being smooth and solid,
will be spongy and of no use.

Heating the bar white-hot and while in that state, if
all the rust and scales are carefully scraped off and the

112 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

iron used as soon as it cools, will answer the same pur-
pose as turning, so far as the casting is concerned.

After the shafts are prepared, either by heating or
turning, the spaces should be laid out so as to indicate
where the cast and wrought iron are to meet. Then cut
three or four square slots similar to a key-seat, — except
they should begin near the end of the roll, — about three
eights of an inch deep, and taper towards the centre so
as to run out near the inside edge of the casting. These
slots for a shaft two inches in. diameter should not be
not less than one half inch wide.

Now, when the melted iron is poured into the
mould it runs into these slots, and that part of the bar
soon becomes as hot as the casting. But the centre of
the bar, being protected by the core, will not be heated
much above a red heat ; so that, when the whole cools,
the casting will shrink endwise more than the bar, and
the ends will be drawn towards the centre upon the in-
clined surface at the bottom of the slot, so that, the more
they shrink, the tighter they will become. Rolls cast
upon the shafts in this manner, with proper care in fit-
ting up, will never get loose.

The shafts are frequently sprung by the intense heat
in casting, so that they require straightening before
they are turned off. When such is the case, never lay
them on the anvil and pound them with a sledge, as is
frequently done, for that will be liable to start them
loose, no matter how firm they may be. If they require
straightening, the proper way is to use a press and
spring them with the power of a screw. This is easily
accomplished^ for that part of th^ shafting close to thq

MANNER OF CASTING FEED-ROLLS. II3

casting is always quite soft, being annealed by the in-
tense heat of the melted iron that surrounds it.

In fitting up rolls, it is important that they be per-
fectly round of the same diameter, straight from end
to end, and true with the journals. There is more
trouble caused by imperfect rolls than many are aware
of. If they are not true with the shafts or journals, and
run out — especially the bottom ones — at every revolu-
tion, they will lift the board from the bed unless the
pressure-bar or roll in front of the cylinder, as the case
may be, is weighted down sufficiently to spring the
board and prevent it from lifting.

This will do very well for thin stuff ; but with lumber
two or three inches thick, if the pressure is set so close
as to prevent it from raising, it will stick every time the
high side comes up, and the machine will feed by jerks
and make imperfect work. Again, if the feed-rolls vary
in size, no matter how small that variation may be, one
or the other must slide upon the surface of the board ;
for they are so geared together that each pair are com-
pelled to make the same number of revolutions in a
given time. And it is evident that this unnatural
strain upon the extension-gears, if not sufficient to
break the teeth, will soon wear them away so as to
render them useless.

My attention was once called to a case of this kind
which fully confirms what has just been said. The ma-
chine Vas a heavy six-rolled one of a certain well-known
manufacturer, and was really a first-class machine ; but
the owners were having trouble with the extension-
gears on the joUs behind the cylinder. They informed
me that the gears on both pairs of the rolls in front of

114 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the cylinder had never given them any trouble, and the
same gears were on now that came with the machine
and were in good condition ; but the pair behind the
cylinder had always given them trouble — had broken
and worn out three sets already.

This machine was provided with a steel scraper, at-
tached to the top roll to prevent the accumulation of
gum ; and it had performed its duty so well that it had
not only scraped off all the gum, but it had scraped off
the roll also, until it was fully one eighth of an inch
smaller than its mate ; so that the gears had not only
to perform the duty of carrying the board along at its
regular feed, but to overcome the friction of one roll
constantly sliding upon its surface — so that this set of
gears were doing double duty, as compared with the
others.

The remedy suggested was to take all the rolls to the
machine-shop, and have them all turned to the same
size ; then throw the steel scraper into the scrap-heap,
and in its place apply a piece of hard wood covered
on the side in contact with the roll with about three
thicknesses of stout felt or cotton duck, and so adjust
it that it would press lightly upon the roll, and, by the
use of a few drops of kerosene oil applied once or twice
in the day, the roll would be kept clean and there would
be no further trouble from the wearing out or breaking
of gears. This plan was adopted, and there was no
further trouble with the machine.

Good, smooth-running gearing is essential to a well-
working machine. It would seem as if some manufac-
turers had expended all their mechanical skill and in-
genuity on their machines before the gearing was ar-

MANNER OF CASTING FEED-ROLLS. II5

rived at, and that part left to chance ; and as if they had
picked up the first thing for a pattern in the shape of
a gear that might be of the right diameter, regardless
of pitch or width of face. Others seem to have given this
subject considerable attention, with well proportioned
patterns. But after all, there seems to be no standard
for pitch. or width of face, some going to one extreme
and some to the other. On one machine maybe found
gears with very wide face and fine teeth ; while another
will go to the opposite extreme, of making a very nar-
row face, with the pitch coarse enough for mill-gearing.

Now, there is a medium for all things. Fine wide-
faced gears for planing-mill purposes are objectionable
for the reason that it is difficult to keep them in line,
especially those which run loose upon studs and pins ;
and if they are not in line, and bear only on one half
the width of the tooth, they are really no stronger than
they would be if they were only one half the width of
face. It is a mistaken idea that gears of medium
coarse pitch cannot be made to run as smooth as fine-
pitched gear.

In my experience, I have found that the most suit-
able proportions for the gearing of a heavy, first-class
planing-machine should be two-inch face and one-inch
pitch. If such gears are cast from good iron patterns,
accurately cut, they will wear well, run smooth, and are
less liable to break than any other proportion that has
come under my observation. Wooden patterns are not
suitable for this purpose ; for, no matter how accurate-
ly they may be constructed, after using them a few
times, the change from the moisture of the foundry to
the dry air of the pattern-room will soon cause them

Il6 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

to shrink and swell until they are anything but the
proper shape for a good pattern.

All gearing, before they are attached to a machine,
should be carefully examined ; for, no matter how per-
fect the pattern, by a little carelessness on the part of
the moulder there are liable to be teeth that are
swelled, which, if not dressed off so as to correspond
with the others, there will be a jerk every time that
tooth comes in contact with the others : and much of
the wavy and imperfect work which is complained of
may be traced to this cause.

I was once sent for to examine a machine that had a
trick of making corrugations on the face of the lumber
about two feet apart, while the surface between was
perfectly smooth. The operator in charge, who had
only been in the mill a short time, and who was a very
competent man, had puzzled his brains to discover the
cause, and had given it up. I went for the gearing
the first thing ; and sure enough, there was a tooth in
the intermediate gear that had been broken out, and
some one not well skilled in gear dentistry had inserted
one in its place which was neither the right size nor
shape to agree with the others, and every time it came
in contact with its neighbor it gave him a punch, who
resented it by giving him a punch back : and the re-
sult was a small corrugation on the face of the lumber
that was being planed. I took the gear off, and, with a
file and calipers, reduced it to its proper shape and size,
so that it would work smooth and regular with the
others : and the corrugations from that time disap-
peared.

Very few operators are aware of the sensitiveness of

SENSITIVENESS OF PLANING-MACHINE. WJ

a planing-machine, and seem to think that, if they have
a good heavy machine, it ought to do good smooth
work under all conditions and under all circumstances,
which is not the case. And I once had an opportunity
of demonstrating this fact to a party who entertained
this notion. He had in his mill a heavy, six-rolled
machine, weighing about nine thousand pounds, which
he claimed was cranky. Some days, he said, it would
plane perfectly smooth on any kind of work, while
other days the work would be wavy in spite of all he
could do, and he had failed to discover the cause, and
claimed it must be some defect in the machine.

I looked the machine over carefully and could dis-
cover nothing wrong ; and as it was turning out very
smooth work at the time, I remarked that I was sure
no one could complain of the quality of such work as
he was then turning out. He said this was one of its
good days, but he wished I could see some of the work
that it turned out when it was '' buUing," as he ex-
pressed it. I examined some of the work that had
been done under those conditions, and was forced to
admit that it was not first-class work. I examined the
floor and the foundation underneath the machine, and
found it fair, but not quite as solid as it should have
been. I told him there was a cause for it, and I should
stay there until I discovered it, " if it took all summer."

To satisfy him that a planing-machine was more sen-
sitive than he was willing to admit, I gave the machine
a good smart kick with my foot, against the side of the
frame ; and sure enough, when the board came out,
although perfectly smooth in every other part, just at

Il8 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

the point where it was working when I gave it the kick
there was a small corrugation.

I then went up stairs, which was occupied as a sash
and door factory, and right over the planer I saw a
heavy power mortising-machine, but which was not run
ning at the time. I requested the foreman of that es-
tablishment to start it up, which he did : and sure
enough, just as soon as it began to work, the planer
commenced to '' bull," and the work was anything but
smooth. I told him I guessed we had found the trouble
without my staying '' all summer," and that, if he want-
ed his planer to do smooth work every day without
" bulling," he must take the '' bull by the horns" and
either remove the mortiser to some other part of the
building or put an independent post under it reaching
down to the ground, so that the mortiser would stand
upon its own responsibility, and not communicate
every vibration it produced to the planer below ; also
to put an extra post under the planer to help support
the floor.

This was done, and from that time no more " bull-
ing" was complained of.

L UBRICA TION. 1 1 9

CHAPTER XIV.

LUBRICATION— DEFECTIVE BOXES— THE SELF-OILING
, BOX— GLASS OILERS— ADULTERATED OILS— THE
BEST OILS FOR PLANING-MILL PURPOSES.

As all wood-working machinery needs lubricating, it
is unnecessary to say that without some system of
lubrication no machinery can be successfully run.

The different modes and the great number of lubri-
cants in use at the present time form a good and
profitable theme for discussion. When two surfaces
in working contact are brought together, no matter
whether the motion is circular or reciprocating, unless
some substance be introduced between those surfaces to
keep them from intimate contact with each other heat
and abrasion will result. Perfect lubrication cannot
be had unless suitable boxes to receive and retain
the lubricant are provided.

The old-fashioned box with a hole in the cap is still
in use, and has its advocates. This may do well enough
for some of the coarser kinds of slow-running machinery,
but with fast-running machinery, of that class which
comes under the head of planing-mill machinery, this
box is out of the question for certain parts of the
machine. The principal objection to this style of box
is, the oil is not retained in the oil-hole, but runs down
immediately upon the journal, and is thrown off by the
rapid motion of the shaft and wasted, except what

I20 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

may adhere to the journal ; and unless the operation
of oiling be frequently repeated, the journal soon be-
comes dry and heated before the operator is aware of
it. Enlarging the oil-hole, by cutting away a part
of the cap so as to form a receptacle for a piece of suet,
not only takes away just so much of the wearing
surface, but materially weakens it, besides forming an
excellent receptacle for dust and grit, which are carried
in with the melted tallow and helps to cut the journal
and wear out the box.

The self-oiling box introduced several years ago, and
adopted by most of the leading manufacturers, was
probably the best system that was ever adopted for
lubricating fast-running machinery. This box was
provided with a reservoir below the bearing to contain
the oil, which was drawn up to the journal by capillary
attraction through tubes inserted in the bottom of the
box and filled with cotton wicking, sponges, or some
other fibrous substance. Openings were provided
at each end of the inside box which formed the
bearing, so that the surplus oil drawn up through
the tubes could flow back again into the reservoir
after it had passed over the journal, and not be
wasted.

This style of box had no oil-holes in the cap (the
reservoir being filled when the caps were taken off),
and was free from dust and grit ; and as the oil was
constantly filtered by being drawn through this fibrous
substance in the tubes, the journals were always sup-
plied with perfectly clean oil, while whatever impurities
might be contained in the oil were left to settle in the
bottom of the reservoir.

THE SELF-OILING BOX. 121

This style of box, although somewhat expensive,
would run formonths without re-oiling if properly taken
care of. But the trouble was that, if a box would run
successfully for three months without cleaning and
being replenished with fresh oil, the chances were it
would be neglected until the oil was exhausted, and
before the operator was aware of it the journals would
be cut or the metal lining melted out of the box.

We remember one case that came under our own
observation. A line of shafting about ninety feet long
was put up with self-oiling boxes ; the speed was three
hundred revolutions per minute, and the reservoir
under each bearing contained about a pint of oil. This
shaft was warranted to run six months without reoiling,
but it was stipulated that at the end of that time the
boxes should be taken out and cleaned, and replenished
with a fresh supply of oil, when it would be good for
another six months' run.

One day the foreman of the mill came into the shop
where the shaft and boxes were made, holding in his
hand one of the boxes with the metal lining melted out
and the iron shell nearly cut through ; the shaft was
also badly cut in the journal. Of course he heaped all
manner of curses upon the self-oiling boxes.

When he had sufficiently relieved himself, the pro-
prietor of the machine-shop inquired how long since
those boxes were cleaned and oiled.

He replied that he did not know, — there had been
nothing done with them since he had been in the
mill.

" And how long have you been in the mill ?" inquired
the proprietor.

122 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

" Well, let's see," replied the foreman : " I think it is a
year last month."

" And how long had the mill been running when you
took charge of it ?"

" I don't know exactly," replied he.

'' Well, I know," replied the proprietor. " The mill
was first started on the third day of April, and you took
charge about the first of June following ; so you see,
according to your own statement, that shaft has been
running constantly everyday for about fourteen months,
without cleaning, oiling, or any other care whatever ;
and the only wonder is that, instead of one box being
cut out, they were not all cut out, and the mill set on
fire long ago from hot journals."

Another case was a planing-machine that had been
in operation a little over a year when the writer visited
it. The cylinders were fitted with self-oiling boxes of
a capacity to hold sufficient oil to last three months.
When I visited the mill I found each box fitted with
a glass oiler. I inquired how the machine was working.
He replied. "All right ;" but his foreman said the self-
oiling box was a failure and had condemned them and
substituted the glass oiler in their place.

Upon further inquiry I learned that for about three
months the machine ran all right, and then began to
heat so that it could not be run. I asked him if he
would stop long enough to allow me to examine the
boxes. " Certainly," he replied.

The caps were taken off and the cylinder taken out,
when the reservoirs below the journals were found to
be full of a substance resembling gutta-percha, and
nearly as hard. I asked him if those boxes had ever

GLASS OILERS. 1 23

been taken out and cleaned. He replied that they had
not, to his knowledge.

This explained the whole matter. They had run
until the oil had become so thick and exhausted, that
it could not feed through the tubes ; as there were
no oil-holes in the cap, the journals became dry and
hot as a natural consequence ; and instead of clean-
ing them out, he condemned them and put in glass
oilers.

In this manner the good intentions of the manufac-
turer are defeated by the ignorance or carelessness of
the operator ; and many excellent devices that would be
real improvements if properly treated are condemned
as failures when it is really the operator that is the fail-
ure, and not the device.

This is not intended to apply to all operators of
planing-mill machinery ; for I know personally many
good, careful, intelligent men who are thoroughly ac-
quainted with their business, and who appreciate good
improvements, and take an honest pride in keeping the
machines under their charge in perfect running order.
But such men, however, are scarce — not but what many
more might be had if the proprietors of planing-mills
were willing to compensate them according to their
abilities ; but the mistaken policy of employing cheap
men to take charge of their mills is a fruitful source of
annoyance to the manufacturer and small profit in the
end to the owner.

Notwithstanding the self-oiling box has been con-
demned by many planing-mill operators, and abandoned
by many of the manufacturers, yet we believe that, with
proper care and the use of good oil, no other style of

124 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

box is equal to it for safety and economy in the use of
oil, besides the extra time that a box will last without
rebabbitting.

But if the majority of those who have the care of
them will not attend to them and keep them in a
proper condition, then something else must be substi-
tuted that will keep the journals lubricated without
danger of running dry and heating. The liability of
melting the metal out of the boxes is not the only
danger to be apprehended ; for in nine cases out of ten
the journals, which are of cast-steel, become hot enough
to melt out the metal lining, the shaft will be sprung
so that it will require to be taken to the machine-shop
to be straightened, and then, unless the straightening is
done by a skilful workman, and one who has had ex-
perience in such matters, the chances are that the first
time it gets warm it will go back again, and in this way
become a source of constant annoyance.

The glass oiler inserted into the cap of a common
box is the next best substitute for the self-oiling box.
But they also have their disadvantages as well as their
advantages ; and where they have been introduced to
any extent, they have not in all cases been entirely suc-
cessful. They require more watching than the self-oiling
box, for the reason that they hold less oil and sooner
run dry. And if they happen to be set to feed too fast,
the oil runs out and is wasted ; and if set just fine
enough to supply no more oil than is required for lu-
bricating the journal, the least speck of dirt will stop the
feeding entirely, and a journal will run dry before the
operator is aware of it. The only redeeming feature
that can be discovered is that, being of glass, it is trans-

ADULTERATED OILS. 125

parent, and, if the oil runs out, the operator can dis-
cover it ; but if the glass gets broken the first week, as
it is liable to in a planing-mill, then the operator gen-
erally pulls out the wire and pours the oil down the
tube whenever he thinks it may need it, regardless of
quantity, until a new one is provided — which is not
very soon, unless there happens to be an extra one on
hand to take its place.

Under all these circumstances, the most practical
box for planing-mill purposes is a good common one
with a long bearing, and lined with the best anti-fric-
tion metal that can be obtained, and the caps provided
with circular oil-cups large enough to hold a good-sized
piece of sponge or cotton-waste, with close-fitting
covers working upon a hinge or pin, so that they can-
not be lost off. A small hole should be drilled through
the cap in the centre of the oil-cup to admit the oil to
the journal. And when this oil-cup is filled with sponge
or cotton-waste, and well saturated with oil, if the covers
are carefully closed to keep out the dust and grit, the
oil will filter gradually through. This constitutes about
as good a box as any for all practical purposes ; and if
good oil is used, and no more applied than sufficient to
xkeep the fibrous substance in the cups saturated, it
is astonishing what a small quantity will answer the
purpose.

The selection of the best and most profitable lubri-
cant to be used is a subject upon which there is a wide
diversity of opinion among planing-mill owners. They
are constantly besieged by dealers in oils, who have
everything to offer as " the best," from the best sperm
oil down to a keg of coal-tar. And a great quantity of

126 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the stuff which is sold to those who do not understand
the correct theory of lubrication, to be used on fine,
fast-running machinery, is not fit to grease a cart ; and
every dollar saved on this cheap stuff is two dollars
thrown away on extra repairs. The old maxim " The
best is the cheapest" may well be applied to lubricating-
oils. . '

The correct principle of lubrication, as I have said
before, is to introduce between two wearing surfaces a
substance that will prevent those surfaces from coming
in intimate contact with each other. And the substance
that will best fulfil this condition the longest with the
least quantity used, without becoming thick and gummy,
is the best, no matter what it is composed of.

Pure sperm oil probably contains the best lubricat-
ing properties of any other oils, as it is comparatively
free from gelatine, has but little affinity for oxygen,
and consequently will not gum, but retains its fluidity
until worn out. But the high price of the pure article,
and the difficulty of obtaining it pure, together with
the reckless manner in which oils are used by most
operators, render it too expensive for general use.

Next to sperm, pure winter-pressed lard-oil is the
best, provided it can be obtained pure. But competi-
tion among the man u fact ^vrers of lard-oil has led to a
variety of adulterations. Cotton-seed, rape-seed, and
peanut oils, with paraffine, and the Lord knows what,
are the most common adulterations that render it gum-
my and unfit to use on fast-running machinery.

Hydro-carbons or mineral oils are extensively used
for this purpose, varying in quality from the lightest
and raost volatile down to a, substance but little better

BEST OILS FOR PLANING-MILL PURPOSES. 1 27

than coal-tar ; and each grade has its advocates. But
from careful observation and a close examination of
the chemical properties of this class of oils, I have failed
to discover the lubricating properties claimed for them.
A journal may be run with clean water without heat or
abrasion ; but that does not prove that water is a good
lubricator by any means. Water has not the consist-
ency or body to prevent the surfaces from coming in
intimate contact with each other ; consequently, the
surfaces are rapidly worn away and the box is soon
worn out.

This, to a certain extent, is the case with most of
the hydro-carbons unless they are mixed with animal
oils. If they are clean and clear, they are so light and
volatile that, when so used, there is not sufficient
body to them to keep the surfaces from intimate con-
tact ; while in the thick dark-colored oils that appear
to have body, that body is composed of an earthy, car-
bonacious substance with more or less grit held in sus-
pension, so that the cushion that it forms between the
surface wears away the box about as fast as it would if
it had no body at all.

From long experience in the use of various oils
and lubricants, I am of the opinion that pure lard-oil
is the cheapest and best for fast-running machinery.
It is true that in the winter a planing-mill is a cold
place, and lard-oil becomes thick with the cold ; but this
may be remedied by mixing with about one third refined
petroleum. This will prevent it from becoming chilled,
and can be used in the coldest weather. One barrel
of pure lard-oil, if used carefully and economically, will
last as long and do as much work with less damage to

128 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the machinery as three times that amount of the
stuff that is sold under the name of lubricating-oils. My
advice to planing-mill owners is to buy nothing but the
best lard-oil ; and then, if they choose to adulterate it
with paraffine, kerosene, or any other substance, to do
it themselves, as they can not only do it cheaper, but
have the satisfaction of knowing what the adulteration
is composed of.

HINTS ABOUT MOULDING-MACHINES. 1 29

CHAPTER XV.

HINTS ABOUT MOULDING-MACHINES— THE MOST DE^
SIR ABLE SIZE FOR PLANING-MILL PURPOSES— THE
BEST MATERIALS FOR CYLINDERS, AND THEIR
STYLE — SOLID CUTTERS— SECTIONAL CUTTERS
USEFUL, ETC.

In the list of planing-mill machinery, next to the
planer and matcher the moulding-machine is one of
the most importance. As nearly all lumber-dealers
keep a stock of mouldings on hand, the moulding-ma-
chine has become indispensable to all well-equipped
mills. The market is full of machines for this purpose,
and a purchaser can find anything he may desire from
the best to the poorest ; from a machine that will
weigh 500 pounds up to one that will weigh 5000.

Some of the manufacturers of a machine that will
weigh 500 or 600 pounds will swear by their machine
that it is as good and will do as much work as the
heaviest.

It is not our object to recommend any particular
'machine, or to speak of the machines of any particular
manufacturer ; but the object is to point out and de-
scribe the qualities required for the most suitable ma-
chine for planing-mill purposes. And if John Doe,
Richard Roe, Sam Jones, or John Smith make a ma-
chine that comes up to these requirements, that is the
machine to purchase.

For planing-mill purposes, we consider what is known

130 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

as the inside machine the best ; i.e., a machine with the
cyHnders working between the boxes in the same man-
ner as an ordinary planer and matcher. This style of
machine admits of a wider cylinder, and is more sub-
stantial and available for a greater variety of work than
the machine with the over-hanging head. Besides, such
a machine, when not required for mouldings, is avail-
able for other work, and may be profitably used on ceil-
ing, siding, and matching; while a light machine with
overhanging head is not well adapted to such work,
and may stand idle one half of the time.

A machine of the style first mentioned, and to be
suitable for the class of work referred to, should be
built upon a good substantial iron frame of sufficient
length to allow a good length to the cylinder and side-
cutter belts. Short belts require more tension than
long ones, and will not last as long — especially those
which drive the side-cutters.

To give the necessary length of belt, the frame should
be at least ten feet over all, with the back-shaft at-
tached to it by suitable boxes having all the pulleys
required to run the various heads attached, which
should be turned perfectly true and balanced.

The cylinder should be at least twelve inches long
and not less than six inches in diameter, and made either
of cast-steel or gun-metal, with four sides, and furnished
with slots on all four sides, so as to receive T-headed
bolts in order that cutters may be attached anywhere
on either face.

In some shops, soft, decarbonized steel is used. When
such is the case, the steel will not be of a quality fit to
form the journals. In such cases, the cylinder should

SIZE FOR PLANUSTG MILL PURPOSES. I3I

be bored, and a good cast-steel shaft two inches in di-
ameter should be inserted ; but if good refined cast-
steel is used, of the best quality, the journals may be
forged on it and form one solid piece.

It is very important that the steel forming the jour-
nal should be close, of fine grain and uniform temper;
for if there should happen to be hard and soft places, it
will not run long before the journals will become im-
perfect and require turning off.

It is not only the delay and expense of having im-
perfect journals turned off every few months that the
owners have to contend with. In many localities, a
machine-shop may be a long distance from the mill ;
and when such shop is reached, — in many places, in the
country shops, — the lathes are not suitable for such
work, and many of the men employed have had so little
experience in work of this kind that it is doubtful if the
journals will be perfectly round when finished. It re-
quires a first-class tool and an experienced man to do
such work in a proper manner.

The boxes for the cylinders should be from ten to
twelve inches long, and lined with the best anti-friction
metal, and heavy enough to prevent vibration. This is
a very important part ; for no matter how strong a ma-
chine may be in all other parts, if the cylinder-boxes
are not sufficiently heavy and well secured to the frame
or bed-plate, so that they are rigid and steady and
entirely free from vibration, smooth work cannot be
expected.

The pressure-bars, or whatever device is used for
holding down the stuff while being acted upon by the
cutters should be made adjustable to and from the cut-

132 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

ter-heads, so that when deep mouldings are stuck, that
require the cutters to project .beyond the cyhnder a con-
siderable distance, they may be moved far enough away
to clear them, and, when light work is being done, to
be moved up close to the cut of the knife, v/hen pro-
jecting but little beyond the points of the cylinder.
Provision should also be made in the pressure-bars for
screwing on blocks of wood, as it is frequently conve-
nient, when very light work is being run, to fasten a
block of hard wood on the pressure-bar the reverse
shape of the moulding, and bring it close to the knife —
and thus prevent slivering and vibrations.

The side-spindles should be at least one and a half
inch cast-steel, with that part which projects above the
bearing fitted to receive whatever style of cutter-head
may be used and best adapted to the work. For
ordinary moulding work the four-sided slotted head is
preferable, and should be made of the same material
and fitted up in the same style as the cylinders ; but
if the machine is used for matching a portion of the
time, any of the approved styles of matcher-heads
may be used.

The boxes which support the spindles should be
strong, with long bearings connected together by
strong hangers, and so arranged that either or both
may be moved laterally by screws for that purpose.
Some manufacturers gib these hangers to the bed-
plate by means of suitable dovetails provided for that
purpose ; while others prefer to hang them upon round
bars extending across the frame, and attached to it at
each end. Either plan is good if the work is strong
and well fitted.

THE BEST MATERIALS FOR CYLINDERS 133

The side-heads should be placed one forward of the
other about one half the diameter of one head, so that
when working on both sides of a piece the cuts will
not be directly opposite each other. This admits of a
suitable fence or guide on each side of the stuff for the
opposite head to work against.

The pulleys on the cylinder shaft should not be less
than four and one half inches in diameter, and wide
,enough to take a four-inch belt, and should be driven
from both ends.

The pulleys on the side-spindles should be of the
same diameter, with sufficient width of face to allow
for the variations of a quarter-twist belt, which should
be at least twice the width of the belt.

The peculiarities of a quarter-twist belt are, that
when tight and straight it will run on the centre of the
pulley, but when stretched out of a straight line and
becomes loose it will run up ; and as it is almost im-
possible to always keep it just right, the pulley should
be wide enough on the face to admit of these varia-
tions. Another peculiarity of a quarter-twist belt is,
especially when new, that one side will stretch so much
more than the other, unless the belt is frequently
turned, that it is a difficult matter to run it at all.

The feed-works should consist of two pairs of rolls
not less than six inches in diameter, and connected by
some good system of extension-gears, and weighted
so as to give a strong and reliable feed to smooth-
faced rolls. Fluted rolls on a machine of this class
should never be tolerated.

We have described in the foregoing what we con-
sider the best and most profitable machine for plan-

134 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

ing-mill purposes, because such a machine, when not
required for moulding purposes, may be profitably
employed on a great variety of other work that can be
done on this machine to better advantage than on the
planer and matcher.

Very few mills in the country have sufficient
business to keep a machine constantly employed on
mouldings, but a machine of the style which we have
described can always find something to keep it con-
stantly in use ; while a light machine of small capacity,
only adapted to ordinary mouldings, would probably
stand idle half the time.

Much has been said about cutters and cutter-heads,
but a few hints with regard to the various tools used
in mouldings and the manner of using them may not
be out of place in this connection.

It has become quite customary in many custom
mills w^here mouldings are made to order to either use
one knife, or build up^ as it is called. This building-up
is accomplished by the use of sectional knives, consist-
ing of hollow, round, straight, and other shaped tools,
so arranged on the cylinder as to form the correct
shape of the moulding when adjusted to a certain pat-
tern. With a few sets of such tools, almost any size
or shape of moulding may be struck by different com-
binations of the same tools.

There is no objection to this manner of forming dif-
ferent combinations of tools, as it saves the expense of
a. separate set of knives for each size and shape, pro-
vided such sections are made in pairs and perfectly
balance with each other. But the practice of using
but one tool of each shape is a bad one. We often

SOLID CUTTERS. 135

meet with cases where a machine is set up with a hol-
low on one side, a round on the other, and a straight
on the third ; and if no other shape is needed, any tool
or a piece of iron is fastened to the fourth side to form
a balance, — neither one of the same length, width, or
shape, nor opposite to each other, — and the machine
started. If, after starting, the machine jars so badly
that it cannot be run, it is stopped and an extra washer
or piece of iron is added, and then it must go whether
it balance or not ; and probably when the job is finished
one half of the bolts and set-screws in the machine are
jarred loose.

Another practice is to fit up one perfect knife to
correspond to the shape of the pattern required, and
then find a piece of iron that will weigh the same on
the scales, and fasten that on the side opposite the
knife to counterbalance it. This acts as anything but
a counterbalance, as the roaring of such machines will
satisfy any one within the radius of half a mile who
will take the trouble to listen to it.

In order to counterbalance a knife in that manner
perfectly, the counterbalance must be of the same
weight, length, and thickness as the knife, for it is well
known that the centrifugal force of all revolving bodies
is to each other as the square of their velocities ; hence
if one portion of the knife projects i inch farther be-
yond the cyHnder than the counterbalance, that part is
moving in a circle 2 inches greater in diameter than the
counterbalance.

Now suppose the longest section of the knife de-
scribes a circle of 7 inches diameter, and the project-
ing end of the counterbalance describes a circle of 6:

136 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the difference in the distance traveled at each revolu-
tion would be 3 and i^ inches. Multiply this by 3000
revolutions per minute, and the difference in velocity
is 875 feet per minute.

Now compare the square of 875 with the weight and
distance from the centre, and we find that a small
fraction of an ounce will be magnified into several
fractions of a pound.

The noise and vibration are not the only objection :
wavy and imperfect work also results (for smooth work
cannot be done with an unbalanced head). The
cylinder being out of balance, and not running on its
true centre of gravity, in its endeavors to find that
point which would be the true centre one side of the
journal is constantly pressed against the box, bringing
all the wear on one side of it. It soon becomes out of
round, and the longer it runs the worse it gets ; and it
is only a question of time when it will not run at all
without heating.

If preferable to make mouldings by the building-
up process with sections, then these should be in
pairs, perfectly balanced, and set so that each may
do the same work ; then the cutters which form
the moulding, no matter how many pieces they may
be composed of, will run well and do smooth work.
If one full knife is used with a counterbalance, then
get a piece of the exact length, thickness, and weight,
and file it up nearly or quite to the shape of the knife
which is to be used ; set it back just far enough to
clear the stuff ; then, if the feed is in proportion to
the speed of the cutter, good fair work may be done
without material injury to the machine. But as only

_ SECTIONAL CUTTERS USEFUL. 1 37

one half of the work ought to be done with one cutter
in a given time, if there is much to be furnished it
will in most cases pay better to build up or to fit up a
complete pair.

138 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

CHAPTER XVI.

SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES MANUFACTURERS MEET
WITH— INEXPERIENCED MEN — PROFESSIONAL
HUMBUGS— CARELESSNESS ONE OF THE CAUSES
OF TROUBLE— THE OPERATOR IN HIS OWN ESTI-
MA TION NE VER AT FAULT.

Having pointed out in a former chapter some of
the difficulties operators labor under from imperfect
machines, I now propose to point out some of the
difficulties manufacturers labor under from imperfect
operators; and here let me say there is no class of
manufacturers that have more to contend with in this
respect than those just mentioned.

The rapid motion of the more essential parts of all
wood-working machinery renders it important that each
part should possess the requisite strength, be well
fitted up, and in perfect balance. To adapt and ap-
portion the several parts of a machine so as to give
the greatest strength to the parts which sustain the
greatest strain is the most important point to be con-
sidered in designing any kind of wood-working ma-
chinery.

At the present time there is scarcely anything
made of wood but wood-working machinery of some
kind used in forming it ; and in looking over the lists of
the different manufacturers it will be seen that a vast
amount of labor and skill has been expended in this
line of machinery.

INEXPERIENCED MEN. 139

Now, while it requires mechanical skill and judg-
ment to properly construct and put in order any of
the several machines referred to, skill and judgment
are also requisite to keep them so ; and I repeat what
I have said before, — that no machine will run well and
do good work unless kept in proper order, each part
properly adjusted to its work ; and the more perfect
adjustment, the more perfect work.

The proprietors of some factories are well aware
of this fact, and purchase the best machinery in
the market regardless of cost, and employ none but
skilled workmen in each and every department, the
whole superintended by the most competent man that
can be obtained — salary being a secondary considera-
tion.

Such mills ar'e always in a prosperous condition, as
the superior quality of their work is sufficient induce-
ment to others to place with them their orders. It is
a pleasure to the manufacturer to place his machinery
in such mills. The proprietor or superintendent —
whichever does the buying — may be particular and
exacting in many respects, but when he has complied
with their wishes, and placed his machines in their
mill, he will have the satisfaction of knowing that they
will be well taken care of and kept in good order ; and
if the same are composed of good materials and well
fitted up, he need not fear the record of those ma
chines.

Other parties pursue just the opposite course. They
buy the cheapest in the market {i.e., that which costs the
least dollars and cents, regardless of quality), and em-
ploy their men upon the same principle, — those who

140 HISTORY OF THE FLANING-MILL.^

have had more experience in a cornfield than in a
planing-mill. And such men are employed and put at
work, often under the superintendence of a foreman at
nine or ten dollars per week.

The mill is ready after a long time, and the several
machines are belted up and started. Some go, and
some do not. The journals heat, and there seems to
be something wrong with every machine. No doubt
there is; for they are probably set up just as they come
from the shop, without knowing whether they are level
and out of wind, or whether the several parts are prop-
erly adjusted, or even that the knives, if they happen
to be on the cylinders, are screwed down or not. If
one happens to fly off and break something, the manu-
facturer gets a blessing, and some country blacksmith
will get the job of mending it, providing it happens to
be something that can be patched up; and by the time
they get the mill running, and it has run three months,
the machines are so banged up that they look as if
they had been in use ten years.

No wonder such parties complain that there " is no
money in the business," and wonder how it is that A,
B & Co. can afford to buy such expensive machinery
and pay such wages to their men, — especially their fore-
man, who does nothing but walk around the mill, while
theirs is constantly at work, — and yet sell their goods
at the prices they do.

It is plain to be seen by any one that will see, that
A, B & Co.'s machinery is running constantly like clock-
work, and turning out more than double the work in
the same time that they are, and of a much superior
quality, while they are not turning out more than half

CARELESSNESS OF THE CAUSES OF TROUBLE. I4I

as much as they should when running, besides being
stopped one quarter of the time by breakdowns.

The former might have been avoided by purchasing
good machinery, the latter by employing competent
men to run it. They find out, often when it is too
late, that their cheap mill and cheap men have been
to them a dear investment, besides a constant source
of annoyance to the manufacturer who furnished the
machinery.

This is why I claim that manufacturers of wood-
working machinery have more to contend with than
almost any other class. It makes but little difference
whether a machine is sent out from a first-class shop
or one that makes a specialty of cheap work ; for no
matter how well made, if a machine is not carefully set
up and kept in proper adjustment, it will not do good
work.

A manufacturer of iron machine tools has less to con-
tend with. He sells a lathe, a drill, or an iron-planer.
The purchaser in most cases is a practical .machinist
himself ; if not, his foreman is. The tool goes into the
hands of a practical machinist to run it. If there
should happen to be some little imperfection that was
overlooked in fitting up, he discovers it at once, and in
most cases goes to work and remedies it without say-
ing anything about it ; while a planer or moulding-
machine that might be a little tight in the boxes is
frequently started up by some inexperienced man, and
after running a short time the journals get hot and
melt the metal out of the boxes. Then the manufac-
turer gets the benefit of sundry curses, and the machine
is condemned as a failure ; when the fact is, it is the man

142 HISTORY OF THE PLANINGMILL.

who is the failure, and in most cases a greater one than
the machine.

A case that will serve to illustrate this came under
my own observation a few years since. A firm in the
eastern part of this State (New York) purchased a
medium-sized planer and matcher to be run in con-
nection with their boat-yard. It was mentioned in the
agreement that the manufacturer should be present and
superintend the putting up and starting it.

The machine arrived in due time, and the proprietor,
Mr. T., was duly notified. When he arrived at the mills
and inquired for the foreman who was to have charge
of it, he was informed that they had none, but expected,
after he had put the machine in good running order,
that any of the men in the yard who needed lumber
dressed would use the machine for that purpose. Af-
ter explaining to them the absurdity of the thing, and
telling them plainly that he would not warrant the ma-
chine for two hours after he left it, they concluded
to call in Jakey, the foreman of the boat-yard and have
him learn to run the machine.

Now, Jakey had never examined a planing-machine,
nor seen one running ; consequently he knew nothing
about it. But Jakey was a very intelligent German,
and took hold of the machine under Mr. T.'s instruc-
tion, and in a couple of days got sujfficiently acquaint-
ed with it, so as to be able to do very good work.

But after a few days they concluded that Jakey's
services were worth more to them in the boat-yard
than in the mill ; and they had also learned that they
must have some one to take care of the planer besides
the men in the yard. Jakey advised them to hire

THE OPERA TOR THINKS HE IS NE VER AT FAULT, 1 43

some good man who had been accustomed to such
work, to take the charge of the machine and do the
planing.

One day a chap came along with a bundle of sam-
ples of matching, mouldings, and other work under his
arm, and applied for the job, saying that he had run
nearly all the different styles of planers in use, and
more especially those of Mr. T.'s manufacture, and of-
fered to work for ten dollars per week. This, they
thought, was just the man they had been looking for,
and hired him at once. When they asked Jakey what
he thought of him, Jakey shook his head and replied,
" Well, I guess dot fellow he knows too much and is
no goot."

Jakey had been doing very good work, and the ma-
chine was in very fair working order ; but our hero said
the machine was out of line, and, before he commenced
to operate it, he must "line her up."

Jakey told him he thought " 'twas better off he
wait a leetle and let it alone for awhile." But our hero
understood his business ; so Jakey retired to the yard
and left the field open for him.

After working at the machine four days, he finally
told the firm that the machine was not built right, and
never could be made to do good work without some
alterations which he suggested. Mr. T. was tele-
graphed to come on at once, as " the machine would
not work."

When our hero found that Mr. T. had been tele-
graphed for, and would be there the next morning, he
said he thought he would quit, as he was quite sure
Mr. T. would not be willing to make the alterations

144 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

that he required, and he was not willing to stay unless
they were made ; so he left. And after he was gone,
Jakey remarked, " I guess 'tis better off he had quit
before he come here."

Mr. T. arrived in the morning, and found the ma-
chine with the bottom rolls about a quarter of an
inch above the bed-plate, and every other part of the
machine out of place that could be got out, and some
boards lying on the floor that had passed through the
machine that would have done well for washboards.
Mr. T. quietly informed the parties that their man was
possessed with altogether too much wisdom for a
planing-mill, and that he would go home and send a
man to put the machine in order again by their paying
time and expenses, and advised them to hire no more
tramps that carried a bundle of samples under his arm ;
and that if they could not spare Jakey, to select some
good intelligent young fellow out of the yard, and let
Jakey and the man he would send break him in. •

This they concluded to do, and a young man was
selected to help Jim the man who was sent (from the
factory); and between him and Jakey they made quite
a competent man of him, and had no further trouble
with the machine.

Now, if the owners of planing-mills do not feel will-
ing to start up with a full force of skilled men, then
hire the very best man that can be found for a fore-
man (no matter what you may pay him, he will be the
cheapest in the end), and then let him educate his own
men ; and in a short time the mill will be not only sup-
plied with competent men, but men that you know and
can depend on.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FOREMAN, I45

CHAPTER XVII.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FOREMAN— SYSTEM IN MAN-
A GEM EN T—A CON TRA S T—FO UNDA TIONS—LE YEL-
LING FROM CERTAIN POINTS, ETC.

As we have before stated, to successfully operate a
planing-mill it requires considerable skill and judgment
— in fact, as much as any other branch of mechanical
science.

It is true that, to become an expert operator, it is not
absolutely necessary that he should serve a regular
apprenticeship at the machine business in order to
know when a machine is in a good running order ;
neither is it necessary to learn the joiner's and car-
penter's trade in order to be able to turn out good
matched flooring, siding, and mouldings. He should
be able to adjust all the different parts of the machines
under his charge so as to get the best results with the
same degree of certainty as the manufacturer himself ;
and if repairs or alterations are required to meet the
requirements of the trade, he should be able to give
the necessary directions to the machinist in an intel-
ligent manner.

The responsibilities of the foreman in charge are not
simply confined to turning out good work, but often
the lives of those under his charge may be endangered
by his neglect or carelessness. If a knife flies off and
kills or cripples the man or boy who may be feeding
the machine at the time, in nine cases out of ten the

14^ HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

foreman, if not strictly, legally responsible, is morally
so. A knife will never fly off from the cylinder of a
well-constructed machine if it is properly fastened in its
place ; and it is the business of the foreman to know
that it is. I could point out mills that have run for
years without an accident of this kind ; while others
that have not run as many months have had numerous
smash-ups of this kind.

I visited a mill not long since which had run about
six years ; and during that time there had never been
an accident or breakdown to amount to anything
worth mentioning. The foreman I found to be a very
careful, intelligent man, and one who understood the
care and management of machinery about as well as
any one I had met. He was not a machinist by trade,
but his ideas of machinery were far better than many
who were. He informed me that he never allowed one
of his men to set the knives on a machine.

" When the knives get dull," he said, " I always have
an extra set on hand for each machine, ground up and
ready for business, and it takes but a few minutes to
make the change ; and if I do it myself, then I know
how they are set. Besides," said he, " I often find a
bolt that is strained and beginning to show weakness
or the thread defective. In such cases I throw it
aside, and substitute a new one. Then I know for
myself that everything is all right. Another thing,"
said he, " I never allow the men to meddle with the
boxes except to keep them well oiled. My orders are
that if a box gets loose, or heats, to report it to. me,
and I attend to it : that's what I am here for."

In his roolroom there were shelves on which were

SYSTEM IN MANAGEMENT, 147

arranged extra knives, bolts, nuts, and side-cutter heads,
with the cutters all set and ready for use, so that when
one set became dull, instead of stopping the machine
while they were filed or ground up, it was only stopped
long enough to make a change of heads, when the
former were taken to the toolroom to be put in order
again. He remarked as I was about to take my leave,
that his *' machines put in full time and earned their
keeping."

It is a pleasure to visit such mills, and a misfortune
that there are not more mills in the hands of just such
men. I called at the office, found the proprietors
cheerful and pleasant, and, when asked about their
business, said everything was pleasant and their mill
was paying a good profit, and that they had a good
man in charge of it. He was a high-priced man, but
they guessed he was the cheapest after all ; but that
$1500 a year was considerable money to pay a fore-
man. I ventured the remark that he was a cheaper
man for them at that price than some others which I
could mention would be at $500.

I visited another mill in the same town, and, oh, what
a contrast ! I first called at the office. The proprietors
complained of low prices and the running expenses of
the mill, — that there was no money in it, — and finally said
that, only for keeping their trade (they were large lum-
ber-dealers), they would shut the blamed mill down : for,
except the first six months, it had never paid expenses —
supplies and repairs eat it all up.

I went over to the mill, which was about a quarter
of a mile from the office. I found four planing-ma-
chines, one moulding-machine, one resaw, besides a

148 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

double-edger and other necessary equipment. The
machinery was originally of first-class manufacture
and well fitted up. I waded through shavings nearly
up to my knees to a planer which was standing idle,
while the young man who ran it (when it did run) was
grinding his knives on a stone that was full of lumps and
hollows and fiat spots. I asked him why he did not
turn it off and true it up. He replied that he didn't
have time, as there was a lot of stuff to be got out that
parties were waiting for. I suggested that there was
always time saved by keeping tools in order, and that
a grindstone was one of them. I then inquired for
the foreman. He said he was not in ; but if I would go
across the street to a place that he pointed out, I would
probably find him, as that was where he generally
" hung out" out when absent from the mill. I walked
over and, sure enough, found him sitting by a table,
with a glass of lager in front of him ; and judging from
his appearance, I concluded that the cares and respon-
sibilities of the planing-mill on the other side of the
street did not weigh very heavily upon his mind, or
else they were so heavy that he was obliged to resort
to frequent glasses of lager to help him sustain the load.
As I said before, the proprietors of this mill had
their wholesale yard and mill in one part of the town,
and their retail yard and office in another. And that
one of the proprietors visited the mill at stated times
twice each day ; and as the foreman generally managed
to put in the time before he came around in cursing
and finding fault with each man in the mill, his ener-
gies became so exhausted that, after the proprietor had
made his round, he found it necessary to go across the

A CONTRAST— FOUNDATIONS. 1 49

street to recuperate his strength with a glass of lager ;
consequently, the proprietors did not know just how
the thing was running.

The fact was, the mill had been well acquipped at
first and furnished with the same class of machinery as
the one which I first visited, but neglect and careless-
ness had nearly ruined every machine in the mill. The
toolroom would give any practical man the horrors to
see the broken knives, banged-up cutter-heads, and
broken saws that would not be recognized by their
maker.

I learned that, when this mill was first started, a com-
petent man, recommended by the manufacturers, was
employed to take charge of it ; but after six months,
the proprietors conceived the idea that they were pay-
ing too much, and a cheaper man was substituted. And
in one year from that time the condition of the mill
was as I have just stated.

Before leaving the town, I called again at the office,
and the proprietors asked me what I thought of it. I
told them that, at the rate their mill was running, there
would be a good chance for somebody to put in a new
set of machinery before many years. They said there
was a "' screw loose" somewhere. I asked him what
time he visited the mill in the morning; he said at nine
o'clock. I advised him to visit it at nine o'clock the
next day, as usual, and then go over again about eleven,
and I thought he would find where the loose screw was.

I have since learned that he followed my advice ; and
the result was that they not only found the loose screw,
but that the old foreman was sent for and he is now in,
charge of the mill But ^fter looking it over, he plainly

150 HISTORY of' THE PLANING-MILL.

told them that it would take him six months to get
everything back in good shape again, and use up all
the profits of a year's business.

A beer saloon may be all right for the purpose in-
tended : but my opinion is that it is a poor place to run
a planing-mill ; and the sooner the proprietors find it
out, the better it will be for them.

I do not wish to be understood that it requires every
man and boy to be a mechanical expert ; on the con-
trary, the majority of the work may be done by cheap
and what is generally termed unskilled labor. But I do
insist that, in order to operate a planing-mill success-
fully and profitably, at least one man at the head of it
should be a competent and expert operator ; and he
should have the full charge of all the machinery, and
devote his time to nothing else. I am aware that such
men are not plentiful, and cannot be had for $10 or
$12 per week; but enough can be had if planing-mill
owners will pay them according to their abilities.

When a new machine is required to be set up, a
good' foundation for it should be prepared, so that,
when placed in its position and levelled up from the
proper points, it will remain so. In the majority of
mills, the floor is not always sufficient to sustain a ma-
chine, especially if it is a heavy one, without settling
more or less ; posts or stone piers should be placed
under the legs, especially under the centre below the
cylinder. It is not good practice for the machine to
rest upon the stone pier directly, for there is a possibil-
ity of making a foundation too solid, as well as not
solid enough. I once had a practical illustration of
this fact,

LEVELLING FROM CERTAIN POINTS, ETC. 15 1

Quite a number of years ago I took a contract to
furnish a mill complete. I was to furnish the plans
and specifications for the building, furnish and put up
all the machinery, and deliver the same to the com-
pany all in complete running order. The floor was
well supported by heavy timbers resting upon stone
piers, so that everything was solid and firm. For
one large planer, weighing about nine thousand pounds
it was thought advisible to build up an extra founda-
tion. Accordingly, the floor was cut out and three
stone piers laid up in water-lime to correspond to the
legs of the machine, capped with a stone flag each
about three inches thick, also embedded in motar, and
levelled up so that the machine might rest squarely on
the stone. When all was ready, the machinery was
started, all working satisfactory except the large planer,
which would invariably, after running an hour or so,
leave the stuff wavy ; and upon trying the cylinder
boxes they would be found loose in the journals. In
fact, no matter how well or nicely they might be ad-
justed, in less than an hour they would show the same
defects again. After working with it for nearly three
days with no more satisfactory results, I concluded to
try an experiment. I had some pieces of wood got
out one half inch thick and just the size of each foot,
and placed them under them. The next morning,
after carefully adjusting the boxes, the machine was
started up ; it ran all day, with the most satisfactory
results, and there was no further trouble afterwards.

Stone foundations are all right, but they should only
be built up to within two inches of the top of the
floor, and then capped with a piece of two-inch plank ;

152 HISTORY OF THE PLANIXG-MILL.

and when a machine is placed upon such a foundation,
and levelled up nicely, and every part adjusted, if it
does not do satisfactory work, the fault is in the ma-
chine or the operator.

I do not approve of the plan of pulling a new ma-
chine to pieces just to satisfy the curiosity of the ope-
rator, as is the case in the many instances. Some ope-
rators seem to think that they must take a new
machine to pieces in order to learn all the peculiarities
of its construction.

A machine that is sent out from a first-class shop
should be adjusted in every part ready for work except
those parts which necessarily have to be removed for
the purpose of shipment. And when the machine is
placed in its position, levelled up, and those parts re-
turned to their proper places and the belts put on,
then, after being well oiled up, it should be ready
for business. Considerable care should be manifested
at first, and the bearings watched for a few days, —
especially in cold weather, — where some of the bearings
are long and the motion is slow, the oil may not
flow freely over the whole surface readily at first ;
but after a journal has once become well covered with
oil, then a very small quantity is required to keep it
well lubricated.

In levelling up a new machine, operators often get
into an error by levelling on the frame. There is not
probably one machine in a hundred that the work ex-
actly corresponds to the frame, except those parts
where it is planed off ; and by following the directions
given in a previous chapter, there will be no difficulty
in placing the machine in its proper position.

LEVELLING FROM CERTAIN POINTS, ETC. 1 53

The bottom rolls in every planing-machine should
be set far enough above the bed to allow for settling
into the wood, and must be rated according to the
weight that is sustained by the top rolls — ordinarily
one thirty-second of an inch for the leading-in rolls,
and about one half as much for those that deliver be-
hind the cylinder. The reason for this is that, after
the lumber has passed the receiving-rolls, the grain is
compressed, so that it will not require the same allow-
ance for the back rolls. It is well for the operator to
examine this part ; for no matter how well they may
be adjusted in the shop, the jar of transportation fre-
quently causes the nuts or screws to work loose and
change their position, and thereby affect the adjust-
ment.

The lumber, in passing through a machine, should
rest firmly upon the bed-plate — otherwise it will be
wavy ; but at the same time the rolls should be so ad-
justed that it will not drag heavily upon it so as to
cause unnecessary wear and strain upon the feed-
works.

154 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

CHAPTER XVIII.

A SUITABLE OUTFIT FOR A SMALL MILL— MA-
CHINES SHOULD BE ADAPTED TO THE WORK— A
QUESTION OF POWER— ECONOMY IN FUEL BY
THE USE OF A SUITABL Y SIZED ENGINE.

In ordering an outfit for a new mill, considerable
judgment is required in the selection of suitable ma-
chinery to meet the requirements of the locality in
which it is located. In a small town, for instance,
where only a limited amount of work is required, and
only one planing-machine needed to perform that work,
a medium-sized machine to plane one or both sides,
twenty-four inches wide and six inches thick, should
be selected. This should be a machine that can be
easily and quickly adjusted from one class of work to
another, and changed from matching to surfacing with-
out the delay of stopping to remove heads or belts.
In those small mills most of the work is short jobs, and
there is about as much surfacing required as matching ;
and a machine that can be changed readily, without
loss of time, in ordinary cases will be able to do all the
work required, and, if run constantly, it is better than
to have two machines, with one standing idle more than
half the time.

I am aware that many object to running narrow stuff
on a wide machine, for the reason that it wears the
knives in one place — also the points of the cylinder.
But in this class of mills to which I refer there is or-

A SUITABLE OUTFIT FOR A SMALL MILL. 155

dinarily about as much lumber that requires only sur-
facing as there is matching; and if the machine is
furnished with a guide on both sides (which all ma-
chines of this kind should have), and the stuff to be
surfaced is always fed against the left-hand guide, while
that which is to be matched is fed to the right, as a
rule both ends of the knives and both sides of the bed
will be worn about equal, and twenty-four-inch knives
can at all times be used to good advantage. It is true,
cases may arise when quite a large job of matching
may be required at one time. In such cases, it would
be well to have a set of short knives on hand to use on
such occasions.

An idea seems to prevail among a certain class that
a machine for these small mills should be adapted to
all classes of work, such as planing and matching,
sticking all sizes of mouldings — in fact, a whole plan-
ing-mill and sash and door factory combined in one
machine; and one party inquired why a horizontal saw
could not be attached to the same machine to resaw
siding.

Now, my experience of over thirty years has con-
vinced me of the truth of the old maxim ''To attempt
to do everything with one thing will spoil it for any-
thing;" and this maxim holds good with machinery as
well cS anything else. Although machines are adver-
tised to do all this, except the resaw part of it, I have
yet to find one that was able to do perfect work on
any class of work that was claimed for it.

A planing-machine to do first-class work, and do it
rapidly, must be close and compact in all its parts ;
the pressure-bars as close to the cylinder as practicable,

156 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

and the matchers as close to the pressure-bars as may
be and give sufficient room for the chip-breakers and
adjustment ; but if the pressure-bars are spread out
sufficient to clear two or three inches, which would be
necessary in order to stick mouldings, the matcher-
heads would be required to be carried farther back also,
to give room to swing long cutters for deep mouldings :
and the result is, the machine is so spread out that un-
less complicated and expensive devices are attached in
order to keep the stuff from springing, good, straight,
smooth planing and matching cannot be depended on.

If a machine of this class must be used for such pur-
poses, it is far better to put on what is known as an
independent beading and moulding attachment for
that purpose.

But after all, it is poor economy to run a twenty-four-
inch planer and matcher, with all the machinery at-
tached, to stick small mouldings from one and one half
to two inches wide, when a light sticker, costing but a
few dollars in comparison to a planer, will do the same
work with less power and to much better advantage.

In larger towns, w^here there is a prospect of more
business, a different outfit is required. One good
double surfacer to work up to twenty-four inches wide
and six inches thick, either with or without matchers,
should be the first machine selected. Then a narrow
double-cylinder planer and matcher to work up to not
less than 4 inches thick should be the next machine
decided upon. If the twenty-four inch-machine is to
have matchers attached so as to match and joint
wide stuff, then the matcher need not plane over eight
inches wide ; but if the former machine is to be with-

A SUITABLE OUTFIT FOR A SMALL MILL. 1^7

out matchers, then the latter should have sufficient
width to plane and match 14 inches wide.

It is a well-known fact, and one that is recognized
among experienced planing-mill men, that narrow ma-
chines for flooring are more convenient to handle, and
economical to use, than wide ones ; they are more com-
pact, can be run at higher speed with the same power,
and do smoother and finer work with a more rapid
feed.

If the two machines just referred to are not con-
sidered sufficient, then the next most suitable machine
to introduce is a heavy twelve-inch inside moulder.
This class of machines, from their peculiar construction,
are available for a greater variety of work than either of
the planers ; and by using a machine of this kind for
small jobs of siding, pickets, shelving, and fence stuff, it
enables the planers to be run constantly upon their
regular legitimate work. And as every yard is expected
to keep on hand a stock of mouldings to meet the re-
quirements of the trade, this machine, when not other-
wise engaged, can be profitably used for this purpose.

A resawing machine of sufficient capacity to cut
fourteen inches wide should be added to this outfit, for
splitting siding and panel stuff. In an ordinary mill
there is very little occasion to resaw stuff over fourteen
inches wide unless special orders for wide box stuff are
to be filled : then, of course, a machine of sufficient
capacity to meet the requirements of the business must
be selected. But if there is much narrow stuff— such as
six-inch siding — required, it would be economy to put
in a small resaw expressly for that purpose. There
is no economy in running a four-foot saw to cut six-

15^ HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

inch stuff: it consumes more power; and as the cut is
nearly square or at right angles with the grain, the
work is not as smooth as if cut with a smaller saw
working diagonally with it. Besides, the first cost of the
large saw is at least four times as much as the small
one, to say nothing about the extra time required to
keep it in order.

A double-edging saw of the most approved pattern,
with a swing cut-off saw and a couple of common saw-
tables will complete the outfit, as far as the principal
machines are concerned.

With such an outfit as we have just described a fair
business may be done, and if properly managed and run
economically it will be a profitable one provided there
is sufficient business to keep the machines fairly busy.

So far I have said nothing with regard to the motive-
power ; but as most planing-mills are run by steam, we
will assume that steam is to be the power. I believe
there are more mistakes made in selecting the right
sized engine and boiler for this purpose than in any
other part of the outfit. In some way most people
have conceived the idea that an immense power is
required to run a planing-mill, and engines and boilers
are often purchased of two or three times the power
that is or ever will be required. Steam-engine builders,
of course, would rather sell a large engine and boiler
than a small one, and consequently encourage that idea.

While I have always advocated plenty of power,
with a reasonable surplus for additional machinery, or
other contingencies that may arise, I am not in favor
of engines of sixty or seventy horse-power when thirty
is all that will ever be required under ordinary circum-

MACHINES ADAPTED TO THE WORK. 1 59

stances. To illustrate this, I will cite two cases that
came under my own observation.

One of my customers was about to start a planing-
mill. After having arranged for his outfit, — which con-
sisted of one medium-sized double-cylinder planer and
matcher to work twenty-four inches wide, one thirty-
two inch resaw, one twelve-inch four-sided inside mould-
er, a swing cut-off saw, and a rip-saw table, besides some
other smaller articles, — I inquired what sized engine he
intended to use, and whether he had made any arrange
ment for it. He informed me that he partly contracted
with a party for an engine with a cylinder 16X24 inches
and a boiler to match. I asked him what his object
was in putting in so large an engine. He replied that
the parties with whom he was negotiating told him
that planing-mill machinery required a great deal of
power, and that he would find when he got started that
the engine and boiler would be none too large to run
the mill strong. I simply told him that if he wanted to
burn up all the profits of his business that was about
the best way he could do it ; and when I recommended
an engine ten by fifteen inches with a boiler to cor-
respond, he thonght I was wild. I told him I thought
I knew what I was talking about, and finally succeeded
in convincing him that an engine and boiler of that
size, with 60 pounds of steam and running 180 revolu-
tions per minute, cutting off at three-quarter stroke,
would be all the power he could use, with a fair surplus
for contingencies, and that his machinery would make
sufficient fuel to run it without using coal or wood.
He changed his order under protest of the makers, and
put it in,

l6o HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

The mill ran for five years before it burned, and
during that time there were several more machines
added to the outfit ; and still he had all the power he
needed, and was never able to burn all the fuel his
machines furnished.

Another customer, contrary to my advice, put in an
engine and boiler of something over twice the capacity
of this, to run about the same outfit ; and the result is,
that he not only burns up all the fuel that his machines
make, but is obliged to use from thirty to forty tons of
coal per year in addition, and he realizes now that too
much power is about as unprofitable as not quite
enough.

There is no necessity for guesswork in these matters.
At the present day manufacturers know or should
know just what power is required to run each machine
that they furnish ; and those who intend starting a
mill should first determine how many and what kind
of machines they need, and then consult with the
manufactures about the power required to run them ;
then, with a liberal allowance for shafting and other
contingencies, select an engine and boiler suitable for
the purpose. If this plan were adopted instead of
depending entirely upon what the steam-engine builders
say, there would be fewer mistakes made and less
trouble and expense afterwards.

Before closing this chapter I will relate an incident
that will show that people sometimes make mistakes
in buying machinery as well as engines.

A few years ago a party in a certain locality, whom
we will call Mr. A., concluded to put in a double-cylin-
der planer and matcher, Being a very close buyer,

A QUESTION OF POWER, - l6l

and not well posted as to the different kinds of machines
that were advertised, he wrote to several firms for circu-
lars and prices, and as a matter of course received
numerous circulars and letters, all claiming to have the
strongest, best, and cheapest machines in the market.
Unfortunately for him, his experience with planers
was very hmited, and he was a good subject for the
cheap ones to operate upon.

The circulars received from the firm of Good &
Strong showed a first-class machine, weighing between
7000 and 8000 lbs., and for the class of work for which he
intended to use it, was none too heavy. But the one
received from Messrs. Blowhard & Co., which repre-
sented a machine of about one half the weight and
about one half the price, but warranted to do the same
work both in quantity and quality, attracted his atten-
tion. He first visited the factory of Good & Strong;
and as they happened to have on hand a machine of
that size Mr. Good carefully and honestly explained
all the parts to him, and he seemed well pleased with
the machine ; but when the price, which was $900, was
named, he informed Mr. Good that he could buy a
machine that was warranted to do the same work for
half that money, and pulled out Messrs. Blowhard &
Co.'s letter and circular and showed them, at the same
time saying that unless he could figure off about one
half of that price he should try what he could do with
the other parties.

Mr. Good quietly informed him that the machine
referred to would not answer his purpose, and that if he
purchased one of them for his business he would find
it a dear purchase in the end ; for no machine sufB-

1 62 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

ciently strong to stand his work could be got up for
that price.

But B. & Co. had offered to put it in on thirty days'
trial, with the privilege of returning it at the end of
that time if it did not prove satisfactory. Mr. Good,
however, volunteered to advise him that if he was de-
termined to try the cheap machine, not to pay any
money on it until the thirty days had expired ; for, in
his opinion, the chances were that less than thirty days
would satisfy him that he (Mr. Good) was telling the
truth. Mr. A. thanked him for the suggestion, and left.

Arriving at the shop, Mr. Blowhard met him, — of
course, all smiles, — and proceeded to show his machine,
at the same time assuring him that it was all folly to
pay the price that certain manufacturers were asking ;
that there was a great deal more iron in their machines
than was necessary, and they were making big profits,
and all he paid over a certain sum he was paying for
their reputation ; and if his machine was not all that
he claimed it, he would not be willing to send it out on
thirty days' trial, etc.

Mr. A. told him that he could ship the machine on
those conditions, and as he had nothing but money to
pay, that was ready at any time whenever he was satis-
fied that the machine was as he had represented. Be-
fore Mr. A. left, however, he stated to him that he had
been disappointed in some of his collections and was
short of funds just at that time, and if he would let
him have $ioo he would consider it a great favor. Mr.
A., acting upon the hint given him by Mr. Good, de-
clined to advance any money until he had given the

' ECONOMY IN FUEL. 1 63

machine a fair trial; and after giving the shipping
directions started for home.

In a few days the machine arrived at the nearest
station, which was sixteen miles from A.'s mill, and was
hauled that distance by teams. The foreman, who was
a man of considerable experience with planing-machines,
looked it over and shook his head, but said nothing.

In due time it was set up, belted, and otherwise put
in order. A lot of twelve-inch stock lumber that only
required to be double surfaced was got in the mill.
With the first board the hub of the driving-pulley on
the back shaft burst, and that was taken to a black-
smith's shop and a couple of wrought-iron bands shrunk
on, one on each end, and the machine started again.
Two boards went through all right, but with the third
one the pressure-plate over the bottom cylinder, which
consisted of a cast-iron plate about four inches wide
and one half inch thick, broke, and caught into the
cylinder, when plate, cylinder, and all went kiting to
the other end of the mill.

Mr. A.', who had been watching the operation, at once
ordered the machine loaded upon the wagon and carted
back to the station, from which it was shipped back
to Blowhard & Co. by fast freight. At the same time
Mr. A. took the first train for Good & Strong's place,
where he related the foregoing as his experience with
cheap machines, and, finding they would not vary from
the figures first given, concluded that it was better to
pay a fair price and obtain a good machine.

It so happened that the same machine that he had
previously examined was still on hand ; he ordered it
shipped at once, stating that the money was ready as

164 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

soon as the machine was in satisfactory operation.
Mr. Good informed him that he was in no trouble
about that, and he could have thirty days to try it if
he desired.

I have only to add, that the machine from Good &
Strong started in the morning for the first time, and
ran all day without any trouble, and turned out a good
day's work, to the perfect satisfaction of Mr. A. This
machine has now been in operation for a number of
years, and the expenses for repairs have been but a
trifle.

When everything was running smooth, Mr. A. figured
up his account, which was as follows :

Railroad fare to Blowhard & Co. and back, $5 00

Hotel expenses, 2 00

Freight, 9 00

Cartage to mill and back to station, 1000

Second trip to Good & Strong's, 2 00

Blacksmith's bill for banding hub, i 50

Handling and setting up, 4 00

63350

Cr.
By planing three boards thirty-six feet at $2
per M ......... $0 07

Profit and loss, ' 33 43

$33 50

ADVICE TO OPERATORS. 165

CHAPTER XIX.

ADVICE TO OPERATORS— FEEDING CROOKED STUFF
—SETTING THE GUIDES— THE USE OF SPRINGS
NOT NECESSARY— MORE EXPERIENCE — CA USES
FOR I UMBER DRAWING FROM THE GUIDES, ETC.

The careful study of this chapter by young men who
are just starting out, as foremen of a mill cannot but
be of considerable importance. There is one point
that does not seem to be as well understood by many
as it should be, and that is, the proper adjustments re-
quired for the feeding of lumber to the machine. Many
operators will complain that the lumber is inclined to
work off from the guide, and say that it is impossible
to keep it up unless the machine is furnished with a
strong spring attached to the table in front of the rolls
for that purpose. A spring is no detriment to a ma-
chine in case of very crooked lumber ; but if the rolls
and guides are set as they should be, there is not one
board in twenty that will run off.

There are a number of causes that produce this
effect : one is in not having the rolls set so as to bear
equally upon both edges of the board. On wide ma-
chines, when the lumber is narrow and runs on one end
of the rolls, the opposite end is apt to be from one half to
one inch lower than the end resting on the board : this
throws the pressure entirely upon the edge opposite to
the guide, and as the whole draught is on this edge, the
natural tendency is to crawl off, as the expression is,

1 66 HISTORY OF 7HE PLAN IN G-M ILL,

from the guide. If this condition were reversed, and
the end of the roll opposite the guide set a little higher,
so as to throw the greatest pressure on that side next
to the guide, then the tendency would be to draw
towards it. I am aware that where there is much vari-
ation in the thickness of the lumber that it is not always
convenient to do so, especially with those in front of
the machine ; but with a little care in adjusting them
they may be kept so that they will in most cases bear
upon that part of the board.

Another cause is in not having the guides — especially
the long one — set properly. It is well known to all ex-
perienced men, that if a board of even thickness on
both edges be placed perfectly at right angles v/ith the
rolls it will pass through the machine straight, whether
it has a guide or not ; but'if fed in at an angle, or out
of square with the rolls, it will traverse the whole
length of the roll and run against the uprights before
it passes through. Now if the long guide in front of
the rolls be set so as to throw the board at a small
angle to the right, the tendency will be to draw that
way ; and if the angle be considerable, it will press
against the guide with considerable force. The short
guide behind the cylinder should also be carefully set
in the same line with the long guide in front ; other-
wise the tendency will be to force the board out of its
proper line, after it leaves the front rolls, and make a
crook or bad spot in the matching.

On a machine of the ordinary length of frame, the
long guide should be set from five eighths to three
quarters of an inch out of a square line with the roll,
measured on the extreme end opposite to it. Too

SETTING THE GUIDES. 1 6/

much draught is not advisable, as it causes unnecessary
wear by forcing the rolls hard against the opposite
shoulders. I have known cases where the shoulders of
the roller-shafts have worn into the box one quarter of
an inch from this cause. The simplest and most con-
venient manner of setting the short guide behind the
cylinder is, after the front guide is satisfactorily ad-
justed, select a straight board and run it about half
way through the machine ; then stop the feed, and set
the short guide up to it. And in every case this will
give a more satisfactory result than can be obtained
with a straight-edge.

I once had an experience with a machine that was
amusing to me but rather expensive to the proprie-
tors. I furnished several machines for a new mill, and
among the lot there was a twelve-inch double-cylinder
planer and matcher. The machines were all fitted up
in the most careful manner ; and as they claimed to
have engaged a man of large experiened to take charge
of them and put them up, there was no necessity for
sending a' man from the factory for that purpose.

A week or two after the machines were shipped, I
received a telegram in the usual language, 2>., "the
matcher don't work." I was well satisfied that the ma-
chine was all right and that the trouble was, " The
man did not work."

However, I took the train the next morning and ar-
rived at the station, and procured a horse and buggy
and drove out to the mill, which was eight or ten miles
in the country. I met one of the proprietors in the
yard, and inquired what the trouble was. He replied
he did not know : but one thing he did know, that

l68 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

they had spoiled 400 or 500 feet of lumber in trying to
match, and the boards ran off so that some of them
were only about half as wide at one end as the other ;
and that finally they had concluded to give it up and
shut the machine down.

I accompanied him into the mill and asked the fore-
man if he had a square and monkey-wrench ; he had,
and got them. I put the square against the front roll
and found the long guide about one inch out of square
the wrong way. The guide had plenty of draught, but it
was not the kind of draught required. I took the wrench,
and loosened the nuts and set the guide back to its
place, giving it about one half inch draught in its length,
and requested him to start up. He did so, and every
board after that hugged the guide so that there was no
further use for the hand-spike that he had rigged up.

The proprietor at first was inclined to give the fore-
man a raking down for his ignorance ; but I calmed
him down by telling him that mistakes would some-
times happen in the best-regulated families.

He then invited me into his office and inquired how

much my bill would be, as they had made such

fools of themselves that it was no more than right that
I should be paid for my time and expenses. I told
him if he felt disposed to pay my expenses, I would
accept that ; but for the time, I would say nothing
about it, as the joke on him was sufficient compensation.

Another cause for the lumber drawing away from the
guide is in not having the pressure-bar behind the
cylinder properly adjusted. If the end of the bar next
to the guide presses hard on that edge of the board
it is sure to draw off. While it is very essential, in

THE USE OF SPRINGS NOT NECESSARY. 1 69

order to make smooth work, that the pressure-bar
should rest upon the whole width of the board, yet the
side opposite to the guide may be a trifle closer without
any detriment to the work or the machine, and helps
to keep the board from drawing off without the use of
levers or springs.

Where the machine is fed by a boy, who may be
sometimes careless in placing the board against the
guide, a light spring placed close to the front roll may
be of advantage for that purpose ; but if a machine is
properly constructed, with the rolls square with each
other and in line, then, if the guides are properly set,
there is no use of the clumsy, heavy devices that are
found attached to many planers for keeping up the
boards, that require all the strength of the operator to
push the lumber by them before entering between the
rolls.

Some operators seem to think that everything must
be screwed down as tight as possible in order to make
smooth work, so that it requires all the power that is
in the feed to force the lumber through. This is bad
practice : the unnecessary pressure on the bed soon
wears it away, so that it will require frequent planing
off in order to be true enough to work all widths of
lumber in a satisfactory manner. The slipping of the
rolls when the pressure-bars are screwed down so tight
also wears them away, so that they soon become im-
perfect; besides the extra wear and tear upon the
gearing.

It is astonishing to note the difference in planing-ma-
chines, and, in fact, all other wood-working machinery,
after a few months or years in use, when put in the

170 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

hands of different operators. I could point out a large
number of different machines, that have been in use five
or six years in the hands of careful operators, which
show but little wear and are practically as good as new ;
while others, which have run less than half that time,
are, from careless usage and neglect, nearly used up.

If the bottom rolls are attended to and kept in line
with the bed, there is no necessity for setting the
pressure-bars so tight upon the stuff. If they rests upon
the board just sufficient to keep it from vibrating with
the cut, it is just as effective as it would be if the press-
ure were increased to a ton ; and just as smooth work
will be done, with much less wear and tear of the ma-
chine.

When the work comes out wavy, it is not always be-
cause the pressure-bar is not down tight ; the fault
may be in the cylinder-boxes or some other part of the
machine. And the careful operator, who understands his
business, will ascertain where the difficulty lies before
he moves a screw ; and then he will be sure to move
the right one the first time.

ARTISTIC WOODWORK. I/I

CHAPTER XX.

AR TIS TIC WOOD WORK— IMP IW VED MA CHINES— CUT-
TING-TOOLS—IMPORTANCE OF A RUNNING BAL-
ANCE—HINTS FOR FITTING UP TOOLS— THEIR
TEMPER — HARD AND SOFT CUTTERS CONSID-
ERED.

The increased demand for artistic woodwork with-
in a few years past has led to the introduction of many
new, compHcated, and useful machines.

Intricate carved work and irregular formed mould-
ings of the most elaborate kind, which were formerly
worked by the slow and tedious process of hand-labor,
are now produced by special machines invented ex-
pressly for the purpose, which not only performs the
work more accurately and in less time, but materially
decrease the cost of production.

This change has not only demanded more accurate
and skilfully constructed machines, but a more skilful
and intelligent class of mechanics to operate them suc-
cessfully.

In mouldings especially, there is a great change, as
compared with those stuck at the present time and
those stuck a few years ago. Architects and builders
are far more exacting now than they were at that time,
jjuilders then were satisfied with mouldings if they
were the correct shape and of an even thickness ; and if
the surface required smoothing down by the liberal use
of sand-paper, or sometimes the moderate use of a hand-

1/2 HISTORY OF THE PLANING- MILL.

plane, there was nothing said, because it was the best
they could get, and was far better than the laborious
process of working them entirely by hand, as they had
been accustomed to do in former years.

The competition among the manufacturers of those
machines, and the desire of one to excel the other in
the quality of their work, together with the increasing
demand of the 'builders and architects for better ma-
chine-work and less hand-labor has brought the mould-
ing-machine to such a state of perfection that the
most intricate designs in mouldings are now made,
both in hard and soft woods, so perfect and smooth
that even the use of sandpaper is dispensed with.
This of course requires mechanical skill, in order to
keep those machines in a perfect state of adjustment
and the cutting-tools in perfect order, as the quality of
the work depends entirely upon these conditions.

The extra care required in fitting up a pair of cutters
so that each may be the exact counterpart of the other
and perform its part of the work, has led some opera-
tors into the pernicious practice of using one cutter,
and counterbalancing it with a piece of iron, or an-
other cutter of a different shape. If this was a prac-
tical thing, and the feed regulated accordingly, there
is no doubt but just as smooth work might be done;
but a cutter-head can never be balanced in that man-
ner.

It is true a standing balance in this way may be ob-
tained, i.e., the head, when placed upon the balancing-
bars, may remain at rest at any point, this showing a
perfect standing balance. But there is a vast difference
between this and a running balance ; and unless the

CUTTl[NG-TOOLS. 173

counterbalance is of the same weight and thickness in
all of its parts, and every part of it revolving in the
same circle, a running balance cannot be obtained.

It must be remembered that the centrifugal force of
all bodies moving with different velocities in the same
circle is proportioned as the square of their velocities ;
and a body revolving lOO revolutions per minute has 4
times the centrifugal strain as one moving 50. Again,
the centrifugal force of two unequal bodies moving
with unequal velocities, and at unequal distances from
the centre are in the compound ratio of the quantity
of matter, the square of their velocities, and their dis-
tance from the centre.

Now, in order to illustrate this, suppose two cutters,
each weighing one pound, were attached to a head 5
inches in diameter, and describing a circle of that di-
ameter at the rate of 3600 revolutions per minute : by
the rules given in another chapter for calculating cen-
trifugal force, the strain upon each side of the head
would be equal to 77-55 pounds; but as a portion of
each cutter must necessarily project beyond the diam-
eter of the head to correspond to the depth of the
moulding, the strain would be increased just in propor-
tion to the weight of that part of the cutter, and its
distance from the centre.

Now, suppose only one cutter were used, and, in place
of the other, a piece of iron were fastened to the op-
posite side to form a balance. Although it may be
of the same weight, and the head, when tested upon
the balancing-bars, may show a perfect balance, yet
when put in motion, those parts of the cutter which
project beyond the head will present exactly the case just

174 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

mentioned. There would be two unequal bodies mov-
ing with unequal velocities, and at different distances
from the centre ; and the difference in their centrifuga
strain would be in the compound ratio of the quantity of
matter, the square of their velocities, and their distance
from the centre. So it is evident that a cutter-head
cannot be balanced in that manner so as to run smooth
and accurately.

Some operators claim this may be compensated for
by making the counterbalance a trifle heavier than the
cutter; but this is only guesswork, and the result cannot
be relied upon : and the result is, the machine goes on
rattling and jarring until every bolt and screw in it has
worked loose. But this is not the worst feature of it.
One side of the journal is constantly pressed against
the box in its efforts to find its true centre of gravity, and
soon that side becomes worn flat or egg-shaped, so that
it will be impossible to run it until it is taken to the
machine-shop and turned off. A few turnings so re-
duces the size that it soon becomes worthless.

If I were asked to express my opinion as to the best
and surest way to use up a moulding-machine in the
shortest time, I would recommend the use of one cut-
ter, balanced with a piece of iron.

Notwithstanding some operators claim that it is a
difficult matter to fit up two knives and keep them in
shape so that each part will make the same cut, there
is no difficulty whatever with proper facilities, except it
may require more care.

A very convenient tool for this purpose may be con-
structed, with but little expense, that will easily enable
one to accomplish this object. Get a couple of pieces

IMPORTANCE OF A RUNNING BALANCE. 1/5

of hard wood — one say about twelve inches long and
the other six, and about one and a half inches thick
and six or eight inches wide. After dressing them up
perfectly straight and square, firmly attach the short
piece to the long one, about three inches from one end,
so that the two faces will make an angle of 45° to each
other. On one side of the upright piece attach a guide
parallel with its side and square with the bottom.
Now if a piece of moulding the exact pattern of that
which is to be stuck be bevelled on one end so as to fit
closely to the bottom of the upright piece and fastened
to the bottom of the form parallel with its edge, and
then if the cutter is placed with its back against the
upright and its side against the guide, when the edge
is let to drop upon the pattern, and fitted to it and set
accurately upon the head, there will be no danger but
every part of one will be the exact counterpart of the
other, and each perform its part of the work. With
standard cutters, which are much used, the patterns
should be cast of soft brass or babbitt-metal, to prevent
them from becoming marred and losing their shape.
As certain parts of all moulding-cutters wear away
faster than others, they should always be dressed to this
pattern in order to preserve their shape.

The proper temper for a moulding-cutter is a subject
upon which there is a variety of opinions : some con-
tending that they cannot be too hard as long as they
stand ; while others contend that very little temper is
necessary.

Wishing to satisfy myself and be able to advise oth-
ers understandingly, I made a series of experiments

176 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

with cutters of different tempers. My experiments
were conducted in the following manner:

A three-winged cutter-head was selected and bal-
anced, with great care ; three knives were prepared.
One was given a light straw-color ; the second a medium
temper, so that it could be cut with a fine, sharp file ;
while the third was drawn down to a blue, with very
little temper. These cutters were tested upon hard
and soft woods ; and in each case, after running a short
time, the machine was stopped and the edge of each
one examined with a strong magnifying-glass. The
edge of each knife presented the same round appear
ance that all rotary cutters have after being used. If
there was any difference at all, it appeared to be in
favor of the knife with the medium temper. As each
test gave the same results, and the advantages being in
favor of the knife with the medium temper, the conclu-
sions were that the fine, thin edge of the hard knife
crumbled off, while the very soft one wore off ; so that
after running for one hour, neither had any advantage
over the other.

With all the improved machinery at the present
time, the practical wood-worker is frequently obliged
to resort to his own ingenuity in order to get out some
of the crooked and odd-shaped work that is required.
With straight work, no matter how complicated, tools
can always be adapted for the purpose. Where the
work is to be done on the edge, no matter how crooked
or complicated, the upright shaper — or variety moulding-
machine, as it is sometimes called — is admirably adapted
to this class of work and saves an immense amount of
hand-labor.

SPINDLES AND COLLARS. 1 77

In order to adapt it to all kinds of work, that portion
of the spindles which projects above the table should
be made so as to allow the cutter-heads to be as small
as possible, in order to work in small circles. The cut-
ters are bevelled upon both edges and fit into corre-
sponding grooves in the collars ; the lower one being
stationary and revolves with the spindle, while the top
one is loose and held down upon the cutters by means
of a nut attached to the upper end of the spindle. The
lower or stationary collar, as it is called, is made deep
enough to allow the pattern to which the work is at-
tached, to work against it. In this manner, it will be
seen that, if a piece of stuff be fastened to this pattern
by screws or otherwise, and kept constantly pressed
against it as it is fed towards the cutters, it will follow
the shape of the pattern and be worked to correspond
with it.

With some of the earlier machines this difficulty
presented itself.

If the spindles and collars were small enough to ad-
mit of working in very small circles, when heavier
work required large collars and longer cutters they
were found too light ; so that heavy and light work
could not be successfully run on the same machine.

This difficulty was met by some of the manufacturers
and obviated by making the main part of the spindles,
as far as the top of the upper bearing, sufficiently heavy
to admit of being bored into and tapped ; so that the
part which projected above the table, and carried the
collars and cutters, could be screwed into it. In that
way, they were detachable, and any sized spindle or
collar could be used.

This improvement had not only the advantage of

178 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

allowing different-sized collars and spindles to be used
upon the same machine, suitable for heavy or light
work, but duplicate sets could be kept on hand ; so that,
instead of changing and setting the cutters for every
different style of work which presented itself, and
which required considerable time to adjust the cutters,
one set with cutters attached could be readily removed
and another substituted in a few minutes: and in this
manner, heads and cutters for ordinary work could be
kept constantly on hand all set up and ready for use.

The manner of raising and lowering the spindles so
as to adjust the cutters to the work, in some of the
earlier machines, was awkward and inconvenient. The
workman was obliged to get under the table and screw
them up from the bottom, which placed him in such a
position that he could not see the work, and conse-
quently had, in a great measure, to work by guess,
which frequently involved the necessity of making sev-
eral such attempts before the object was accomplished.

Now all first-class machines of this kind are provided
with hand- wheels at the side, within easy reach of the
workman, where, by means of bevel gears and -screws,
the spindles are readily adjusted to any point desired,
the workman having his work and the cutters con-
stantly in sight.

The best and most practical machines of this kind
have two spindles working in opposite directions and
furnished with duplicate cutters, so that, if a piece of
circular work is being stuck, one half may be worked
upon one head and the other upon the opposite one ;
thus enabling him to always work with the grain, and
avoid slivering.

As soine portions of the cutters for certain work

HARD AND SOFT CUTTERS CONSIDERED. 1^9

necessarily project some distance beyond the collars, it
requires considerable care in giving them a proper
temper, so that they will stand. If too hard, they are
liable to snap off; if too soft, they will be liable to
bend : and in either case, they become useless until re-
paired or replaced by new ones. A good medium
temper is indicated by heating the tool slowly over
a clean fire or a piece of red hot-iron, after being
hardened and scoured bright, until the color changes
to dark purple with a slight tinge of green. This has
been found to be the best temper for this class of tools.
If the steel is of a good quality and has not been over-
heated, it will give it not only a fine cutting edge, but
the greatest lateral strength.

When mouldings or other irregular shapes are to be
stuck on the face of irregular or crooked pieces, the
operation is more difficult. With segments of circles
of not too small a radius the most convenient way is
to work them upon a common sticker. This may be
accomplished by first dressing the outside to the circle
required, and then attaching to the table of a common
sticker a reversed form corresponding to its shape, so
that, instead of being fed by the rolls in a straight line,
the work will be forced to conform to the circle of the
guide, and follow it in a curved line, instead of a
straight one. If the form, as it is called, is so placed
that the radius of the circle which it represents is par-
allel with the line of the cutter-head, the moulding
may be stuck with the same cutters, and will corre-
spond in shape with those which are straight.

l8o HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

CHAPTER XXI.

FRICTION— THE LA WS WHICH GO VERN IT— SLIDING
CONTA CT— RE VOL VING CONTA CT — RESISTANCE
ACCORDING TO WEIGHT, INDEPENDENT OF SUR-
FACE IN CONTACT— ITS APPLICATION TO WOOD-
WORKING MACHINERY.

Friction is the resistance arising from one surface
coming in contact with another and rubbing against it.
It is the only force in nature which is perfectly inert,
its tendency being always to retard motion. In some
respects, it may be considered as an obstruction to the
power of man and an obstacle in carrying out mechani-
cal designs. But, like every other force in nature, it
may, if properly managed and understood, be turned
to advantage. While it may be an obstacle in the
running of machinery, yet it is the chief source, after
all, of the general stability of everything that requires
to remain in a state of rest. The experiments of
Rennie and M. Morin — the latter under the direction
of the French government — have demonstrated certain
fixed laws which govern it : First, when two flat sur-
faces are pressed together without any lubricant, the
amount of friction is in every case the same, and
wholly independant of the extent of the surfaces in
contact, so that, the force with which two surfaces are
pressed together being the same, their friction is the
same, whatever may be the extent of their surfaces in
contact ; second, similar bodies excite a greater de-

THE LAWS WHICH GOVERN FklCl'ION. l8l

gree of friction than dissimilar ones ; third, with all
hard substances, and within the limits of abrasion, fric-
tion is in proportion to the pressure, without regard to
time or velocity.

All moving bodies in contact with each other are
subject to three stages or conditions with regard to fric-
tion : One is a state where there is no lubricant used ;
another is a state in which a lubricant has been used
but pressed out, so that the two surfaces come in inti-
mate contact with each other ; and, lastly, where the
pressure is Hght and the lubricant is sufficient to keep
the surfaces entirely apart by a stratum of the same
interposed between them.

There is no rule established whereby the exact
amount of loss by friction can be estimated, as the dif-
ferent kinds of metals used in the construction of
machinery all produce different degrees of friction ; be-
sides, the great difference in the quality of the lubri-
cant used often renders the loss double with one kind
to what it would be with another. M. Morin estimates
that, with' suitable metals in contact, and with a good
lubricator, the loss is from 20 to 25 per cent of the
force by which the bodies are pressed together ; or, in
other words, if 2 sliding surfaces were pressed together
with a force equal to 100 pounds, it would require from
20 to 25 pounds of power to put them in motion. And,
according to the laws established by those tests, it
would make no difference whether the bodies in con-
tact have a surface of i square inch or 20; for with
the same load and velocity, the friction would be the
same, regardless of the surfaces in contact.
, If a force or weight of 100 pounds be placed upon a

1 82 HISTORY OF THE PLANIMG-MILL.

surface containing 20 square inches, then the pressure
would be only 5 pounds to the square inch and the
friction upon each square inch of surface would only
be the one twentieth of what it would be provided the
whole 100 pounds were placed upon i square inch.

Again, if the 100 pounds were placed upon a surface
containing but i square inch, this, h-r.ving to sustain 20
times the load of the former, will consequently have to
overcome 20 times the resistance by friction ; and if
moved at the same velocity, the liability of heat and
abrasion would be increased 20 times. And when this
condition commences, the loss by friction is indefinitely
increased ; besides, the surfaces are rapidly cut away
and the parts soon destroyed.

In view of these facts, it is one of the most import-
ant duties of the designer of machinery — and one that
cannot be neglected — to so apportion every wearirig
part of the machine, whether it be a sliding contact or
a revolving one, that the surfaces in contact shall be in
such proportion to the weight to be sustained that
there will be no danger from heat and abrasion.

So far reference has only been made to such parts or
devices which produce a reciprocating motion. But the
same laws are applicable to revolving bodies ; as, the
journals and boxes upon which each part of a machine
revolve.

There is, however, a slight difference in the conditions
under which a sliding and a revolving surface may
work, which may produce different results. In a slid-
ing surface, the power is supposed to be applied in a
direct line with the two surfaces in contact ; so that in
every case the power to move it is in proportion to the

RESISTANCE ACCORDING TO WEIGHT. 1 83

weight — the friction being the same, without regard to
the extent of the surfaces in contact, or the velocity
with which they are moved.

But this rule will not hold good with revolving
shafts under the same conditions. For instance, if a
shaft 2 inches in diameter, revolving in a bearing 6
inches long, sustaining a weight of 100 pounds, and
driven by a 4-inch pulley making 1000 revolutions per
minute, requires 25 pounds of the power applied to
overcome the friction, no more power would be re-
quired to overcome the same friction if the speed were
increased to 2000 revolutions. Neither would the fric-
tion be increased provided the box was increased to 10
or 12 inches in length; for it will be remembered "that
with all hard substances within the limits of abrasion,
friction is as the pressure, without regard to surface or
velocity." Now, if the shaft were increased to 3 inches
in diameter, with the same weight, and driven the same
speed by the same sized pulley, the conditions would
be changed, and more power required to overcome the
resistance. While the frictional resistance would be
the same in both cases unless the diameter of the pul-
ley were increased in the same proportion, more resist-
ance would be offered to the driving power in order to
overcome the same friction and maintain the same
speed. Hence, we say that with all revolving bodies,
in order to comply with the laws of friction the power
must in all cases be applied at the same proportional
distance from the centre of that body.

Long bearings, then, require no more power to drive
them with the same load than short ones, as long as
the same diameter of shaft is retained. But if the

1 84 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

diameter is increased in size, then a larger pulley will
be required in order to retain the same leverage from the
centre. This being the case, it is much more economical
to use long bearings ; for the more space or surface that
the weight is applied to, the less the pressure upon
any one place and the more surface to wear upon.

For instance, if a box has a superficial area of 8
square inches, and the weight of the body resting
upon the shaft revolving therein is i6o pounds, it is
evident that each square inch of surface between the
shaft and the box will be pressed together with a force
of 20 pounds. If the length of the box be increased
with the same shaft so as to contain i6 square inches,
then with the same load the two surfaces would be
pressed together with a force of lo pounds to the
square inch instead of 20 ; and as only one half of the
pressure is brought to bear upon each square inch of
surface, and there being just twice the number of
square inches to sustain the whole pressure, it is evi-
dent that, without any more loss by friction, the long
box will wear just twice as long.

Again, if, instead of lengthening the bearing, we
shorten it so as to diminish the area from 8 square
inches to 4, then each square inch of surface would be
required to sustain a pressure of 40 pounds ; and if the
same speed was maintained with the same load, the
chances of injury arising from heat and abrasion would
be increased in the same proportion.

Builders of machinery are becoming aware of this
fact, as may be seen by the increased length of the
journals both in shafting and nearly every kind of

RESISTANCE ACCORDING TO WEIGHT. 1 8$

machinery where there is any amount of work re-
quired.

Wood-working machinery is of that class in which,
under its conditions of work and in the most favorable
circumstances, the wear and tear is greater than in any
other class of machinery. It is not only the high rate
of speed that it is required to run but the dust and
grit with which most of the lumber is covered, is a con-
stant source of annoyance to the most careful opera-
tor.

Wood-working machinery requires to be stronger
and more accurate than any other class of work. A
slow-running machine may have a number of little im-
perfections about it that may not manifest themselves
for a long time ; but with a planing-machine or
moulder, if there is any imperfections in the bearings
or boxes, they will manifest themselves in a very few
minutes after it is started. Perfect bearings and long
boxes are requisite to a well-running and durable ma-
chine ; and that manufacturers as a class begin to under-
stand this, is evidenced by the improved condition
of the journals and boxes of all modern-made wood-
working machinery.

1 86 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

CHAPTER XXII.

SHAFTING— ITS PROPORTIONATE SIZE AND SPEED—
TORSIONAL STRENGTH CONSIDERED — METHOD
OF TESTING — RULES FOR CALCULATING ITS
STRENGTH— TABLE OF SIZE, VELOCITY, AND
PO WER.

The necessary shafting and pulleys also enter into
the items of planing-mill machinery, and much depends
upon the selection of the most suitable size, the proper
speed for utility and convenience, and the economy of
power. Some are partial to large shafting and moder-
ate speed, while others go to the opposite extreme of
very small shafting and high speed. Now there is
always a medium which is best adapted to all cases. A
line of shafting for planing-mill purposes should always
be adapted to its work, and in a great measure depend
upon the size of the mill and the number of machines
to be driven from it.

For planing-mill purposes, as all machines run at
high speed, it is more economical to use a lighter shaft
and run at high speed, as this enables each machine to
take its power direct from the line without the use of
large, cumbersome pulleys or intermediate counter-
shafts, which are both expensive and objectionable.

It is a well-known fact that speed is power ; and if a
shaft 2 inches in diameter will safely transmit 15 horse-
power at 100 revolutions per minute, that same shaft,
if the speed were increased to 300 revolutions, would,
with the same torsional strain, safely transmit about
43 horse-powen

SHAFTING— ITS PROPORTIONATE SIZE, ETC. 1 8/

Taking the first cost of heavy shafting and pulleys
into consideration, the extra labor in handling, with the
wear upon the boxes caused by that extra weight, and
there is no doubt but medium-sized shafting with light'
pulleys running at a moderately high speed is the most
economical in the end for planing-mill purposes.

Some object to high speed on account of the fear
that it might shake the building; but in the present
advanced state of mechanical science there is no more
necessity for shaking the building with a shaft running
300 or 400 revolutions per minute than there would be
at 100, providing the shafts are straight and true, and
the pulleys well balanced ; and no machinist at the
present time who makes any pretensions to mechanical
skill, or who values his reputation as such, would send
out anything that was not so.

In selecting the shafting for a mill or factory, the
millwright or mechanical engineer who may be in-
trusted with that part should have a thorough knowl-
edge of the torsional strength of iron in order to make
a proper and judicious selection. The amount of twist-
ing strain that can be sustained by a shaft of a given
size without permanent injury or displacement of the
particles composing it have been variously estimated.

Trautwine says, *' To compute the size shaft to trans-
mit a given number of horse-powers, multiply the num-
ber of horse-powers to be transmitted by 300 and divide
the product by the number of revolutions per minute,
and the cube root of this quotient will equal the size of
the shaft."

According to this rule, then, in order to transmit 50
horsepower from a shaft making 125 revolutions per

1 88 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

minute, it would require a diameter of 4^^7}- inches,
thus: 300X50 -r- 125=120; the cube root of which is
4.93 inches.

By the rule given by Scribner, the same shaft would
require a diameter of 4j- inches. He says : " This rule
comes from the highest authority and will give per-
fectly safe results."

There is no question, so far as the safety is con-
cerned, for by this same rule a shaft 2\ inches in diame-
ter would not be able to transmit but a trifle over 15
horse-power at a speed of 100 revolutions per min-
ute. It would be a difficult matter to make any
practical machinist or millwright, in the present state
of the art, believe that this rule is anywhere near cor-
rect, or that a shaft 2\ inches in diameter, at 100 rev-
olutions per minute is not able to transmit with perfect
safety from 25 to 30 horse-power.

Being fully satisfied that those rules were not
reliable, and desiring to arrive at some correct basis, a
series of tests were instituted by the author, which
were conducted in the following manner:

Several pieces of iron were cut from the same bar, and
a space 12 inches long turned on each one i inch in
diameter. One end was secured in a strong vice, while
the other was supported upon a centre so as to allow
it to move freely. To this end was attached a lever,
having a notch cut in it just 12 inches from the centre
of the shaft. A suitable box for holding the weights
was suspended from the lever at the notch by a bail
provided for the purpose. The weight of the box be-
ing known, the weights were carefully placed in the
box so as not to produce a shock, and the deflection of

TORSIONAL STRENGTH CONSIDERED.' 1 89

the lever carefully noted at each increase of the
weight until the bar began to show a permanent set.
By means of a cord and small pulley attached to the
floor above, the box could be gently raised so as to re-
lieve it from the weights, and note the deflections of
the lever. With 400 pounds the deflection of the lever
at the notch was i|- inches. But when relieved from
the weight it returned to its original position. The
load was then increased in the same manner to 420
pounds. The deflection of the lever was then nearly 2
inches, and when relieved of the load again it showed
a permanent set in the bar of 4°. Tests were then
made with other bars of the same size and length by
applying the load suddenly. It was found that when
100 pounds were dropped suddenly upon it, the same
deflection of the lever was shown that 400 pounds pro-
duced when let down carefully and without any shock.
Over 100 pounds applied with a shock produced a per-
manent set in the bar. From these tests we arrived at
the following facts :

That where shafting is subjected to sudden shocks,
as all shafting is liable to be by the throwing on of heavy
belts in starting machines, one fourth of its ultimate
strength is all that can be safely relied upon in practi-
cal use. To reduce this to foot-pounds, or to a given
number of pounds moved at the rate of I foot per
minute, suppose the lever i foot long to represent a
pulley of I foot radius or 2 feet in diameter ; and sup-
pose I revolution per minute is taken for the unit of
speed. Now the circumference of a pulley 2 feet in
diameter is near enough to 6 feet in circumference for
all practical purposes, so that the 100 pounds at each

1 90 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

revolution would be carried through a space equal to
6 feet per minute, which would be equal to 600 pounds
carried through a space equal to i foot in the same
time. Thus we find that a shaft i inch in diameter re-
volving at the rate of i revolution per minute will
transmit 600 pounds per minute, no matter what the.,
distance may be from the centre at which the power
is applied in order to communicate it.

For example, if the power be applied to a pulley 4
feet in diameter instead of 2, at each revolution of the
shaft the load, whatever it may be, will be carried
through double the space in the same time, and conse-
quently requires but one half the force to produce the
same effect. Therefore we divide this 600 pounds by
the circumference of the pulley to find the force to be
applied once every minute to obtain that result. Thus
if the pulley were 12 feet in circumference,

600 -M2 = 50 pounds.
So that 50 pounds applied to a pulley 4 feet in diame-
ter making i revolution is equal to 100 pounds applied
to a pulley 2 feet in diameter at the same speed.

Again, if it were required to find the number of rev-
olutions per minute that a shaft i inch in diameter
should make to transmit a given power, divide the
number of pounds contained in that power by the
number of pounds which the shaft is capable of trans-
mitting at I revolution per minute.

If it be required to determine the number of revolu-
tions per minute that a shaft i inch in diameter should
make in order to transmit 2 horse-power, take the
value of 2 horse-power and divide it by 600 ; thus :
33000 X 2 = 66000^600 =110 revolutions.

TESTING TORSIONAL STRENGTH OF SHAFTING. I9I

When the speed of a shaft i inch in diameter is
given, to find its power multiply the speed of the shaft
by its size and by 600, and divide by the value of i
horse-power.

Example : what power will be transmitted from a
shaft I inch in diameter revolving at the rate of no
revolutions per minute ?

I X 1 10 X 600 -^ 33000 = 2 horse-power.

The foregoing examples and rules are applicable to
shafts I inch in diameter exclusively ; but now to
apply the same rule to other sizes other conditions
must be complied with. It is well-known to mechani-
cal experts that the torsional strength of all round bars
of iron of different diameters are to each other as the
cube of their respective diameters ; but as the cube of
I is I, there is no necessity for a proportional state-
ment, and all that is required to apply the foregoing
rules is to use the cube of the diameter instead of the
real diameter. Hence, to find the power of any sized
shaft when the size and speed is given, multiply the
cube of the diameter by the number of revolutions per
minute and that product by 600, and divide by the
value of I horse-power.

Example : What power may be transmitted from a
shaft 2 inches in diameter at a speed of 1 10 revolutions
per minute ?

First, the cube of 2 is 8 ; then
8 X no X 600 = 528000 -=- 33000= 16.3 horse-power.

When the diameter of the shaft and the power re-
quired are given to find its speed, first multiply the
given power by the value of i horse-power to obtain
the number of foot pounds required per minute, and

192 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

then divide by 600, (the unit of foot-pounds for i inch),
and the cube of the diameter of the shaft the quotient
will equal the number of revolutions per minute.

Example : At what speed should a shaft 2 inches in
diameter run in order to transmit 16 horse-power?

First, 16 X 33000 = 48000 foot-pounds per minute re-
quired. Then as 600 is the unit for i inch, 48000 -^
600 = 880 pounds, the strength of the shaft, or the num-
ber of foot-pounds which it is able to safely transmit.
Now if the last number be divided by the cube of the
diameter of the shaft the quotent will equal the speed —
88o-r-8=iio revolutions.

When the power and speed are given to find the
size of the shaft, first asertain the number of foot-
pounds which are required in order to obtain that
power. This is obtained by multiplying the given
power by the value of i horse-power ; then this product
divided by the number of revolutions per minute
given represents the number of foot-pounds that may
be transmitted at each revolution, and as 600 pounds
to the revolution is the unit, by dividing by this num-
ber we obtain the cube of the diameter of a shaft
capable of transmitting that power at the given rate of
speed the cube root of which is the diameter required.

Example : The diameter of a shaft is required which
will transmit 16 horse-power at a speed of 100 rev-
olutions per minute: 16x33000=528000-^-110=:
4800 -^ 600 = 8 cube root of 8 = 2 inches.

From the foregoing tests and examination of this
subject, we have been able to formulate the following
rules:

Case i. When the diameter of a shaft is given,

HOW TO CALCULATE STRENGTH OF SHAFTING. 1 93

and the power it is required to transmit to find its
speed.

Rule : Multiply the given power by 33000 and
divide that product by 600; this quotient divided by
the cube of the diameter of the shaft will equal the
speed in revolutions per minute.

Case 2. When the diameter and speed of a shaft are
given to find its power.

Rule : Multiply the cube of the diameter by 600,
and that product by the number of revolutions per
minute and divide by 33000 : the quotient will equal
the number of horse-power.

Case 3. When the power required and the speed of
a shaft given, to find its diameter.

Rule: Multiply the given power by 33000; divide
this product by 600 and the speed of the shaft in rev-
olutions per minute. The cube root of this quotient
will equal the diameter.

To familiarize the reader with the foregoing rules,
the following promiscuous examples are given :

What power may be transmitted from a shaft 2^
inches in diameter running at a speed of 300 revolutions
per minute? The cube of 2^ is 15.6; then 600 X 15.6
X 300 -^ 33000 = 85 horse-power.

Required the power that may be transmitted from a
shaft 3 inches in diameter at 150 revolutions per min-
ute. 3 X 3 X 3 = 27 (the cube of the diameter) ;
then 27 x6oo X 150-r- 33000 = 73.63 horse-power.

How many revolutions per minute must a shaft 3
inches in diameter make in order to transmit 90 horse-
power? 90 X 33000 -^ 600 -i- 27 = 183.33 revolutions.

How many revolutions per minute should a shaft 2

194 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

inches in diameter make in order to transmit 25 horse-
power? 25 X 33000 -^ 600 ^8 =: 171.87 revolutions.

What is the required diameter of a shaft that will
transmit 180 horse-power a speed of 120 revolutions
per minute? 180 -J- 33000 -^ 6oo -H 120 =: 82.5, the
cube root of which is 4 35 inches.

What sized shaft would be required to transmit
forty-eight horse-power at three hundred and thirty
revolutions per minute? 48 X 33000 -\- 600 -^- 330 =
8 cube root of 8 = 2 inches.

In the application of the foregoing rules, torsional
strength is all that has been taken into consideration.
There are, however, other things to be taken into con-
sideration in connection with this subject, before de-
ciding upon the most suitable sized shafting for a
mill.

It often becomes necessary to place a pulley or gear
that may be required to transmit a large portion of
the power to another shaft, and that pulley or gear
may be required to be placed in the centre of the shaft
between the bearings ; and while the torsional strength
maybe amply sufificient to perform the work, the trans-
verse strength may not be sufficient to prevent it from
springing sidewise. This, however, may always be
remedied by either using a larger piece of shaft at this
particular place, or by adding another bearing close to
the pulley or gear, as the case may be : but the latter
is always preferable when it can be conveniently done.

One of the mistakes often made in arranging for
shafting is a proper distance between the bearings.
Cases are often met with in the same mill where there
may be two or three lines upon different floors, each

HOW TO CALCULATE STRENGTH OF SHAFTLNG. I95

of different size, yet the distance from centre to centre
of the bearings are all about the same. This is not
good practice ; for while the sizes of the different lines
may be in good proportions according to the amount of
labor they are required to perform, the distance from
centre to centre should also be in proportion to the
size : otherwise they will be deficient in laterall
strength.

The transverse strength of all-round bars of iron of
different sizes, but of the same length, is in proportion
as the square of their diameters ; consequently shafts
of smaller diameter require less distance between
bearings, in order to retain their lateral strength, than
larger ones. The most practical rule that can be
adopted and coincide with this is to take three times the
diameter of the shaft in inches for the same number of
feet between the centres of the bearings.

Thus a shaft three inches in diameter would require
nine feet from centre to centre of the bearings, while
one of two inches diameter would require six feet — and
so on. The proper length of bearing is another con-
sideration, and in ordinary practice should not be less
than three diameters of the shaft. In special cases,
where there is an unusual stress, the length may be in-
creased to four diameters.

A large amount of power is frequently lost in many
mills by the use of imperfect shafting. To run well
and economize power, a Hne shaft should be perfectly
straight and true ; all pulleys (and gears, if any are
used) should be perfectly balanced, so that when the
whole is put up and the bearings oiled, a line 100 feet
long should be readily turned by hand by taking hold

196 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

of one of the pulleys. But if put up imperfect, out of
line with pulleys, not well balanced, several horse-
power will be required to overcome the frictional
resistance.

The following table shows the number of horse-power
that may be safely transmitted by shafts from one
inch to six inches inclusive, at speeds from 100 to 300
revolutions per minute, compiled from practical tests
by the author.

SIZE, VELOCITY, AND POWER OF SHAFTING. IQ/

TABLE I.

Number
of Revo-
lutions.

lOO

"5
H. P.

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

Diameter

of shaft

in inches.

H. P.

i.8i

2.27

2.72

3.18

3-63

4.09

4-54

5.00

5.45

2.58

3.22

3.87

4-51

5.16

5.80

6.45

7.10

7-74

3.54

4-43

5-31

6.20

7 09

7-97

8.86

9-74

10.39

4.72

5-90

7.09

8.27

9-45

10.63

II. 81

13.00

14.18

6.12

7.66

9.19

10.72

12.26

13-79

15.32

16.85

18.39

7.80

9-45

11.70

13-65

15.60

17-55

19.50

21.44

23.40

9-74

12.17

14.61

17.18

19.48

21.91

24-35

26.78

29.22

12.53

15-62

18.75

21.87

25.00

28.12

31-25

34.37

37-50

14.50

18.12

21.75

25.37

29.00

32.62

36.25

39.87

43.50

17.40

21.75

26.10

30.45

34-80

39-15

43.50

47.85

52.20

20.70

25.87

31.05

36.22

41.40

46.53

51.75

56.92

62.10

24.30

30.37

36.45

42.52

48.60

54.67

60.75

66.82

72.90

28.40

35-50

42.60

49.70

56.80

63.90

71.00

78.10

85.20

32.80

41.00

49.20

57.40

65.60

73.80

82.00

90.20

98.40

27.80

47-25

56.70

66.15

75-60

85.05

94.50

103.95

113.40

43 -20

54- 00

64.80

75-60

86.40

97.20

108.00

116.80

129.60

49.00

61.25

73-50

85-75

98.00

110.25

122.50

134.75

147.00

62.40

77.90

93.60

109.20

124.80

140.40

156.00

171.60

182.20

77.90

97.37

116.85

135-32

155-80

175.27

194-75

214.22

233.70

95.80

119-75

143.70

167.65

191.60

215.55

239-50

263.45

284.40

116.30

145-37

174-45

203.52

232.60

216.67

290.75

319.82

348.90

139-50

174-37

209.25

244.12

279.00

313-87

348.75

388.62

418.50

165.60

207.00

248.56

289.80

331.20

372.60

414.00

455.40

496 . 80

194.80

243-50

291.20

340.80

389.60

438.30

487.00

535-70

584.40

227.20

284.00

340.80

397.60

454.40

511.20

568.00

640 . 80

681.60

302.00

377.50

453- 00

528.50

604 . 00

679.50

755-00

830.5o'9o6.oo

392.00

490.00

588.0

686.0

784.0

892.0

980.0

1078.0 1176.0

198 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL,

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE SELECTION OF BELTING— THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE AIILL BEING PROPERLY BELTED— LEATHER
BELTING BEST ADAPTED FOR 7 HIS PURPOSE-
RULES FOR CALCULATING THEIR POWER— HINTS
FOR THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT— OILS NOT
- SUITABLE — DOUBLE BELTS; TABLE SHOWING
THEIR POWER.

Much of the comfort and economy in the manage-
ment of planing-mill machinery arises from having a
mill properly belted. With the high speed at which
they are required to run, and the liability of becoming
saturated more or less with oil and often subjected to
chafing more or less, leather has been found the only
practical material that should be used for this purpose.
Oak-tanned leather belts, cut as near the back of the
hide as possible, should be selected ; they should have
short laps and be strong, and of even thickness and
well put together.

While almost everything pertaining to machinery
has fixed rules whereby the strength and power may
be calculated, it is a fact that there are no reliable
rules whereby the power of a leather belt may be cal-
culated with any degree of certainty. We would not
wish to be understood as saying that there are no
rules : on the contrary, there are plenty of them.
Every belt-manufacturer who publishes a catalogue of
his work has a set of rules of his own ; but the trou-

IMPORTANCE OF PROPER BELTING. 1 99

ble is, no two agree upon the same thing : according
to one, a belt six inches wide, with a given speed and
stress, should transmit eight horse-power; while another
would give to the same belt, under the same condition,
ten. We have endeavored to harmonize these rules,
and, if possible, discover some true bases to work
upon, but confess we have failed to do so. Being con-
vinced that the power of a belt is simply a question of
friction between the under side of the belt and the face
of the pulley, produced by the tension or stress upon
it, it would seem that all that was required was to de-
vise some plan whereby, with a certain stress and
under certain conditions, that friction could be meas-
ured and then reduced to some fixed rules that would
be at least approximately correct.

For the purpose of making these tests, two iron pul-
leys twenty inches in diameter and of 4-inch face were
selected. These, after being bored and turned both to
the same size, were balanced and fitted upon a shaft
and secured by keys. This shaft was then suspended
upon centres prepared for the purpose, so as to be free
to turn with the least amount of friction. One end of
a strap was fastened to the face of one pulley, and
passed around it, while to the other end a bucket was
attached and suspended to receive whatever weight
might be required. A piece of leather belt of the
average thickness, one inch wide, was secured to the
floor by one end, while the other was passed over the
pulley in the opposite direction, so as to embrace just
one half of the circumference, and a similar bucket at-
tached to it. One hundred pounds, including the
weight of the bucket, was then applied. Weights were

200 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

then placed in the first-mentioned bucket until the fric-
tion of the belt was overcome and the pulley began to
slip under it. This was so regulated by small weights
that after repeated trials the descent of the bucket
would average one foot per minute. This was quite a
delicate matter, and only accomplished after repeated
trials. The first bucket, containing the weights, was
then detached and weighed, with its contents, and
found to equal 40 pounds. A piece of 2-inch belting
was then substituted for the i-inch, and, with the
same weights, gave the same results. The weight in
the first bucket was then increased to 200 pounds and
the friction arising from the second overcome, as be-
fore, by adding weights; 80 pounds were then re-
quired to produce the same result. Tests were then
made in the same manner with 3 and 4-inch belts,
and all gave the same results, viz. : that the fric-
tional power of a leather belt embracing one half of
the circumference of a cast-iron pulley is equal to y^o^
of its stress, regardless of its width. Tests were also
made with new belts which had been used but a few
days, as well as those which were old and filled with
grease. The new ones, when first applied, gave a trifle
less than 40 per cent ; those which had been used a
few days gave a small fraction over, while the old ones
showed considerable over that amount, but broke so
frequently that their real frictional value could not be
obtained with any degree of certainty.

Those tests established this fact : that if the fric-
tional power of a leather belt moving at the rate of i
foot per minute is 40 per cent of the stress, with a
stress of 100 pounds, moving at the rate of i foot per

HOJV TO CALCULATE POWER OF BELTING. 201

minute, 40 pounds of efficient force is all that can be
realized from it. But if the stress be increased to 400
pounds and still moving at the same rate, 160 pounds
of useful effect will be returned.

Again, if the stress remains the same and the speed
be increased to 2 feet per minute, then the power re-
turned in frictional force per minute will be doubled.
Hence, with equal stress, the frictional power per
minute increases directly as the speed, and with equal
speed it increases directly as the stress. From these
two propositions we are able to adduce the following
rule :

When the stress is known, to find the power multiply
the speed of the belt in feet per minute by .40 of the
stress in pounds, and divide by 33,000.

Example : Assume the stress upon a leather belt to
be 600 pounds and the speed 2,000 feet per minute.
First, 40 per cent of 600 is 240 \ then 240 X 2,000 =
480,000 and 480,000 -j- 33,000 = 14.28 horse-power.

Now, this power may be obtained from a belt 8
inches wide, or from one 12, provided the stress is the
same, and the belt strong enough to withstand it ; for
the resistance of belts to slipping, with equal stress, is
independent of their width, and there is no advantage,
in a frictional point of view, derived from increasing
the width beyond that which is required to resist the
tension without material injury. It must not be as-
surfied, however, that, because a belt i inch wide may
sustain a weight of 350 pounds, it would be good prac-
tice to run a belt of that width at any such tension, for
the reason that the fibres of the leather would soon

202 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

become detached from each other by the continued
strain, and thereby become worthless.

Durability must always be taken into consideration,
as well as quantity of work to be performed in a given
time. A small horse may be compelled for a short
time to draw a heavy load : but by constantly over-
taxing his abilities, his enegies soon become exhausted
and render him worthless ; while a much heavier and
stronger animal would perform the same work from
day to day without material injury.

So with a belt : the wider it is with the same stress
the less the strain upon each inch in width. If 1200
pounds stress were put upon a six-inch belt, each inch
would be required to sustain 200 pounds ; whereas, if
the whole stress was 600 pounds, then there would only
be loopounds to be sustained by each inch in width ;
and it needs no argument to show that with a stress of
60 pounds or 100 pounds to the inch, that the belt
would last much longer than it would with double that
strain. Therefore within reasonable bounds the wider
the belt the longer it will last.

There is one difificulty that presents itself in calculat-
ing the power of a belt, and that is to determine just
what the tension is, or what it should be. Some claim
that the average tension should be 200 pounds to the
inch in width, but it is very doubtful whether driving,
belts as a rule are ever submitted to any such tension,
or more than half of it. If so, a belt 12 inches wide
should be constantly submitted to a strain equal to
2,400 pounds, or nearly \\ tons weight : it is a ques-
tion of considerable doubt whether it would stand a
weight of that amount suspended from one end of it

now TO CALCULATE POWER OF BELTING. 203

for any length of time without permanent injury to the
fibres of the leather.

From extensive observation I am led to believe that
the average stress upon driving belts as a rule does
not exceed lOO pounds to the inch in width. It is true
that when running a large portion of the stress is upon
the driving side ; but even then, except under peculiar
conditions, I doubt whether a strain of 200 pounds to
the inch in width is ever attained.

The stress of a belt may be approximately obtained,
however, by calculating the stress required to give a
frictional force equal to a given power, and by assum-
ing a certain width ; then if the belt, when put to use,
performs the work in a satisfactory manner without
slipping, it is reasonable to suppose that the tension is
not less than a given number of pounds.

Practical experience has proved that if a belt will
perform the required work when running slack, it will
last much longer than one of less width with double
the tension. Extremes in this as well as in every
other case' should be avoided. If a belt is run so slack
that it is constantly flapping about, the sudden jerks
are not only detrimental to the belt itself but to the
machinery and shafting attached — especially so with
planing-mill machinery.

In selecting a driving-belt, and determining its
width, there are always certain conditions to be con-
sidered and complied with: First, the amount of power
to be transmitted ; second, the speed of the line shaft
and size of the pulley required. This, when the power
is steam, must be determined by the speed of the
engine and size of the band-wheel. When these

204 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

points are settled, the width of the belt may be
determined according to the diameter of the pulley : a
small pulley at the same speed requires a wider belt in
order to obtain the necessary frictional surface.

In ordinary practice it is well to run the line-shaft
about 300 revolutions per minute in order to avoid
loading it down with large heavy pulleys, and also to
enable those machines which have counter-shafts at-
tached to be driven direct from the line, thereby avoid-
ing the use of intermediate shafts as far as possible.
At 300 revolutions per minute, with good bearings and
well balanced pulleys, there is no objection to that
speed, or even more, if necessary.

Suppose after all these points are settled the result
should be as follows : An engine of 60 horse-power is
required, the band-wheel of which is 8 feet in diameter,
and is required to make 150 revolutions per minute.
To accommodate the greater number of machines, the
line-shaft is required to run 300. From this data the
diameter of the driven pulley for the line-shaft and
width of the belt must be calculated. As the size
of the main pulley must be in proportion to the
band-wheel, as its speed we have this proportion :
300 : 150 :: 8:4; consequently the diameter of the
main pulley must be 4 feet.

Now as the circumference is equal to the diameter
multiplied by 3.1416, in order to find the speed of the
belt in feet per minute the diameter must be multipHed
by this number, and the speed or number of revolu-
tions per minute ; for it is evident that the belt must
pass over the whole circumference of the pulley 300
times per minute in order to make 300 revolutions in

SELECTION OF BELTING. 20$

that time; then 4 X 3.1416 X 300 = 3769.92 feet per
minute.

Now the tension of the belt to produce a frictional
force upon the face of the pulley sufficient to equal 60
horse-power must be computed. As the unit for i
horse-power is a force equal to 33,0CXD pounds, moved at
the rate of i foot per minute, 60 horse-power must be
multiplied by that number; then 33,000 x 60 = 1,980,-
000 pounds of frictional force, which must be applied
once in every minute.

The stress upon the belt, as we have already found,
is proportional to the frictional power as 100 is to 40 ;
so that in order to find that stress we say 40 : 100 ::
1,950,000: 4,950,000 pounds : then 4,950,000 -~ 376.992
(the speed of the belt in feet per minute) ==1313
pounds, which must be constantly applied; or, in other
words, 13 1 3 pounds is the whole stress that is constantly
applied to the belt, and without any allowance for ex-
tra shocks in starting, etc., a belt 13I- inches wide
would give that power by the foregoing rules already
given. But to allow for this and other contingencies
which are liable to arise, one of 16 inches would be
preferable.

In selecting belts, those of even thickness, with mod-
erately short laps, and well riveted, should be chosen.
A good way to test the quality of the leather is to bend
it short towards the flesh side. If the material is poor
or been injured in the process of tanning, it will show
fine cracks when submitted to this test. If the material
is good, it should be soft and pliable and bend short
without showing any signs of cracks in the grain.

Some manufacturers recommend running the grain

2o6 HISTORY OF THE PLANlNG-MILL.

side next to the pulley, thereby claiming a much greater
percentage of power with the same stress.

While there is no doubt that this is the proper way
to run a belt, the tests made do not warrant any such
results.

The reason for running the grain side next to the
pulley is, there is more strength in the flesh side than
there is in the grain; and that part of the belt which
possesses the greatest tensile strength should be sub-
jected to the least wear. This may be demonstrated
by splitting a piece of belt leather exactly in the centre
and submitting each part to a breaking strain, when it
will be found that the part next to the flesh side will
require nearly double the strain to part it as the other.
So that a belt run with the grain side next to the pulley,
when worn down to nearly one half of its original
thickness will retain more than three quarters of its
original strength, unless otherwise injured ; while the
same belt run with the flesh side to the pulley will give
out and break long before it reaches that condition.

Another reason is that the best of belts, and those
that are soft and pliable when new, after being used
and exposed to the fine dust that is constantly settling
upon them, soon absorb the oil, rendering them hard
and dry ; then if run over small pulleys with the grain
side out, they become filled with fine cracks, which ma-
terially impair their strength.

When belts become hard and dry,' they are not only
more liable to crack, but as they do not adhere to the
pulleys, and are constantly slipping more or less, the
heat generated by the friction burns them so as to im-
pair their strength, and in a short time renders them

CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF BELTING. 20/

worthless. When such is the case, it is the common
practice in many mills to pour on any kind of oil, rub
on soap and rosin, or, in fact, anything convenient to
prevent them from slipping. This is all wrong. If the
belt is too slack, stop and take it up ; for it is much
cheaper to stop for half an hour than to spoil a belt
worth forty or fifty dollars.

Lubricating-oils such as are in general use contain
more or less mixtures of hydro-carbon, which is detri-
mental to leather. Lard-oil is also injurious, from the
fact that it contains a large percentage of margaric
acid. There are also many patented articles under
various names of stuffing, for softening and preserving
belts, which are advertised and hawked about ; and if
mill-owners would believe one-half the stories which
are told by drummers for those articles, they would
believe that a belt would never get old, wear out or
break as long as they continued the use of their prep-
aration.

Now, the basis of nearly all of these compounds — all,
so far as they have been examined is — either petroleum
in some of its numerous forms, or some other hydro-
carbon mixed with neatsfoot oil or something worse,
and totally unfit for this purpose. Tallow seems to be
the only material that is natural to leather, but should
never be applied to a belt when dry and covered with
dust, for this reason : The solid fats of all animals are
composed of three elements, viz ; stearine, margarine,
and oleine.

Margarine contains a large percentage of margaric
acid, which must be kept out of the belt as far as pos-
sible, The proper manner to tr^at a belt when it be-

208 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

comes hard and dry, and to exclude the greater por-
tion of the margarine, is to take it off and lay it upon a
clean floor ; then, with soap and warm water, thoroughly
cleanse it, and, if necessary, scrape it until the surface
on both sides is perfectly clean ; then prepare some
clean tallow by melting it, and, with a brush, apply a
thick coat upon the flesh side while it is just soft
enough to spread well and while the belt is wet, and
then leave it until it becomes perfectly dry. The
stearine and margarine are both insoluble in water,
and will not enter the pores of the leather while it is
wet.

Margarine has a greater affinity for stearine than it
has for oleine ; consequently, it remains on the outside
and becomes hard before the leather becomes dry
enough to absorb it ; while the olein, which has a
greater affinity for the leather, seperates from the other
ingredients, and, as the water evaporates gradually, as-
sumes its place, leaving the other two on the outside
in the form of a white substance much harder than tal-
low, which may be readily scraped off. Belts treated
in this manner about once in six months will be as soft
and pHable as new, and retain their strength until worn
out.

Many object to this process of taking off their belts
and wetting them, because they shrink up so that it
requires an unreasonable tension to replace them.
This may be avoided by fastening the belt to the
floor by means of clamps before washing it.

To formulate rules for determining the length of a
belt may to some appear quite superfluous. This may
be the case in many instances — perhaps so in the nia-

CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF BELTING. 209

jority which come within the range of ordinary prac-
tice.

When everything in the mill is favorable, — the coun-
ter-shafts, if any, all up, and the pulleys on the line-
shaft, together with all the machines that are to be
driven from it in their respective places, then with a
good tape-line, the length of each belt, whether crossed
or straight, may be easily obtained by measurement.

This condition of things, however, does not always
exist. It is sometimes necessary to determine the
length of some of the belts, especially the large drivers,
before the shafts and pulleys are in position. The
distance between centres, and the size of the pulleys
may be obtained from the drawings. Much time may
be saved in this way, especially if the belts are made to
order and shipped from a distance.

Crossed belts should be avoided as far as possible,
especially if there is considerable difference in the
diameters of the pulleys and the distance between
centres limited to a short space. In such cases the
cross will' occur so near the small pulley that the ten-
dency to run off will require the constant use of a belt-
shifter or some other device to keep it on the pulley,
The chafing upon this, with the friction upon the belt
where they cross each other nearly edgewise, under
such conditions will soon destroy it.

When pulleys are nearly of the same size and the
distance between centres considerable, the cross will
occur nearer the centre of the space between them,
and the two surfaces cross each other nearly flatwise
and with but little friction. Under such conditions,
a cross-belt is not so objectionable.

2IO HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

The rule for calculating the length of an open belt
when the distance between centres and the size of the
pulleys are known, is very simple :

To twice the distance between the centres, add one
half the circumference of each pulley, with three times
the thickness of the belt.

Example : Suppose the distance between the centres
of two shafts is 14 feet, the diameter of one pulley is
8 feet and the other 4, and. the thickness of the belt
is \ inch. Then one half the circumference of the
8-foot pulley is 12.5664 feet. One half the circumference
of the 4-foot pulley is 6.2834 feet. Three times the
thickness of the belt is f inch, or .0625 feet ; then 28 -|-
[2.5664 4" 6.2834 + .0625 = 46 feet \o\\ inches.

To find the length of a cross-belt, the rule is more
complex, and when the pulleys are in position and can
be conveniently reached, it is much easier to determine
their length by the tape line. If not, the following
rules are applicable and will give correct results.

First, the distance from the centre of each pulle}^ to
the centre of the point where they will cross, must be
obtained. If both pulleys should happen to be the
same diameter, the cross will occur exactly in the
centre of the space between them. If not, then that
point will be in proportion to their respective diam-
eters, and may be found by the following rule :

Divide the diameter of the larger pulley by that of
the smaller, and add one to the quotient. This will
represent the number of parts into which the distance
between centres is supposed to be divided into. Then
as the whole number of parts is to the number of parts
taken by the larger pulley, so is the whole distance

RULES FOR MEASUREMENT OF BELTING. 211

between the centres to the point where the cross will
occur.

Example : A pulley 8 feet in diameter is to drive
one of 4 with a cross-belt i inch thick, the distance
between centres being 14 feet ; required, the distance
to the point where they will cross, and the whole leno-th
of the belt.

First, find the point where they will cross, by the fore-
going rule : 8-^-4 = 2+1 = 3. This represents that
the 14 feet are supposed to be divided into three parts ;
and as the diameter of the small pulley is contained in
that of the larger one twice, it shows that two parts of
the three must be taken by it : then, 3 : 2 :: 14 : 9^4''
Now as the whole distance is 14 feet, and the large pul-
ley requires 9 feet 4 inches, the distance from this
point to the centre of the smaller pulley will be 4 feet
and 8 inches. So that the distance from the centre of
the large pulley to the point where the belt will cross is
9 feet 4 inches, while the other from the same point
will be 4 feet 8 inches.

If a horizontal Hne be drawn through the centre of
each pulley, extending from one to the other, and a
perpendicular one also drawn through the same points,
intersecting it at right angles, there will be two right,
angled triangles formed— the base of one being 9 feet 4
inches, with a perpendicular equal to the radius of the
8-foot pulley, or 4 feet, while the other base will be
equal to 4 feet 8 inches with a perpendicular equal to
the radius of the 4-foot pulley, or 2 feet, the belt in
each case representing the hypothenuse ; and as the
square root of the sum of the squares of the base and
perpendicular of any right-angled triangle equals

212 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the hypothenuse, it is evident that the hypothenuse
of these two figures must represent the length of
belt between these two points.

The operation perhaps will be more simple and
easier understood if the whole be reduced to inches.
Then 112 x 112 == 12544 inches ; and 48 X 48 = 2304
inches being the square of the base and perpendicular
in inches, then 12544 -|- 2304 = 14848, the square root
of which is 121.85 inches. With the other proceed in
the same manner : 56 x 56 = 3136 and 24 x 24 = 576,
and 3 1 36 -|- 576 = 3712, the square root of which is
60.92 inches.

Now if each of these sums be doubled, and one half
the circumference of each pulley with three times the
thickness of the belt be added together, their sum will
be equal to the whole length of belt required in inches,
which, when reduced to feet, will be found to equal
48 feet and ij- inches.

Much has been said in favor of double belts, convey-
ing the idea that they are not only stronger, but will
transmit more power with the same stress. That
there is more tensile strength in a double belt if made
of equally good stock than in a single one, there is no
doubt. But as far as frictional power under the
same stress is concerned, the tests which have been
made with both do not show any difference worth
speaking of. In certain cases a douHe belt may trans-
mit more power than a single one, but it is owing to
the greater stress put upon it, either directly or by the
extra weight — especially if running horizontally, or
nearly so, with the slack side running towards the top

DOUBLE BELTS. 213

of the driven pulley. The sag causes it to embrace a
greater arc and cover more surface of the pulley.

. There are objections to double belts which more
than counterbalance their advantages. One is, that the
stock generally used is apt to be thin and soft, and of
an inferior quality. But the greatest objection is that
even if they are made of good, solid stock, the uneven
strain upon the two thicknesses which compose it has
a tendency to tear them asunder. When two pieces
of leather of even thickness and length are cemented
and united by rivets, if strained around the surface of a
pulley they cannot remain so : the outside piece must
stretch' or the inside one contract. In either case the
tendency is to separate.

To illustrate this : Suppose a pulley 4 feet in diameter,
the circumference of which would be 150.734 inches.
Now if this pulley were entirely surrounded by a single
piece of leather -f^ inch thick, it would require 151.734
inches in length to surround it ; and the diameter of
the pulley, including the leather, would be increased by
twice the thickness of it, and the circumference would
be increased to 152.76 inches. Now surround this
again by another piece of the same thickness, and it
will require 153.69 inches; so that the difference in
length of the two pieces of leather would be equal to
1.96 inches. But as the belt is supposed to embrace
only one half of the circumference of the pulley, the real
difference would be about one half, or one inch ; but if
the same belt passed over another pulley, — ^.hich is al-
ways the case, — then the difference would r mount to 2
inches, provided the pulleys were both the same size.
Now it is evident that if these two pieces were cut

214 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

the same length and riveted together, when strained
around the half-circumference of each pulley one piece
must contract or the other stretch sufficient to make
this difference in the length. If the belt remained at
rest after being bent around the pulley, it would be dif-
ferent. But this is not the case. As soon as it leaves the
pulley and becomes straightened out again both parts
must resume their former relation to each other, and
become of the same length. This constant unequal
strain must have a tendency to break the cement and
tear out the rivets in a short time, which is usually the
case.

If it is absolutely necessary to use a double belt, it
is better toiise two single ones, one running outside of
the other, with independent lacings, and having no con-
nection with each other. When run in this manner, it
will be noticed that the position of the outside belt
with reference to the other will be changed at every
revolution, and in a short time it will make a complete
revolution around it. Belts run in this manner will
work better, last longer, and give as much power,
with no more trouble, as a double belt made in the
ordinary manner.

The following table shows the horse-powers belts
are capable of giving at a stress of lOO pounds to the
inch, in width from i to 24 inches inclusive, and
at speeds from 100 to 3000 feet per minute. The
ratio of f'-iction is taken at 40 per cent of the stress.
This tabic is calculated from tests made by the au-
thor, and intended expressly for this work ;

VARIOUS HORSE-POWERS OF BELTS.

215

TABLE II.

Feet

Width in inches.

per

min.

I in.

2 in.

3 in.

4 in.

5 in.

6 in.

7 in.

8 in.

g in.

10 in.

II in.

12 in.

H. P.

100

.121

.242

.263

.484

.606

.727

.848

-969

1.09

1. 21

1-33

1-45

200

.242;

.484

.727

.968

1. 21

1-45

1.69

1-93

2.18

2.42

2.66

2.90

300

■363

.926

i.oS

1-45

1. 81

2.18

2-54

2.90

3-27

3-63

3-99

4 35

400

.484

.768

1-45

1-93

2.42

2.90

3-39

387

4-36

4.84

5-32

5.80

500

.605

1. 21

1. 81

2.42

3-03

363

4.24

4.84

5-45

6.05

6.65

7-25

600

.726

1.40

2.17

2.90

3-63

4-36

5-o8

5.81

6.54

7.26

7-98

8.70

700

.847

1.69

2-54

3 38

4.24

5.08

5-93

6.78

763

8-47

9-31

10.15

800

.968

1-93

2.90

3.87

4.84

5.81

6.78

7-75

8.72

9.68

10.64

11.60

900

1.08

2.17

3.26

4-35

5-45

6.54

7-63

8.72

9.81

10.89

11.97

13-05

1000

1. 21

2 42

3-63

4.84

6.06

7.27

8.48

9.69

10.90

12.10

13-30

14.50

1100

1-33

2.66

3-99

5-32

6.66

7-99

9-32

10.65

11.99

13-31

14.63

15-95

1200

1-45

2.90

4-35

5.80

7.27

8.72

10.17

11.62

13.08

14.52

15.96

17.40

1300

1-57

3-14

4.71

6.28

7.87

9.44

1 1. 01

12.59

14.17

15-73

17.29

18.85

.1400

1.69

3-38

5.08

6.76

8.48

10.16

11.86

13-56

15.26

16.94

18.62

20.30

1500

1. 81

3-69

5-44

7-25

9.08

10.89

12.71

14-53

16.35

18.15

19-95

21-75

1600

1-93

3.86

5.80

7.62

9.68

11.62

13-56

15-50

17-44

19.36

21.28

23.20

1700

2.04

4.10

6.16

8.22

10.39

12.35

14.41

16.47

18.53

20.57

22.61

24.65

1800

2.16

4-34

6.52

8.70

10.90

13.08

15.26

17.44

19.62

21.78

23-94

26.10

1900

2.29

4-59

6.89

9.19

II. 51

13.81

16.11

18.41

20.71

22.99

25.27

27-55

2000

2.42

4.84

7.26

9.68

12.12

14-54

16.96

19.38

21.80

24.20

26.60

29.00

2100

2-54

5-o8

7.62

10.16

12.72

15.26

17.80

20.34

22. 8g

25.41

27-93

30-45

2200

2.66

S-32

7.98

10.64

13-32

15.98

18.64

21.30

23.98

26.62

29.26

31.90

2300

2.78

5.56

8.35

II. 12

13.89

16.71

19.48

22.24

24-77

27.83

30.59

33-35

2400

2.90

5.80

8.70

II 60

14-54

17.44

20.34

23.24

26.16

29.04

31.92

34.80

2500

3.02

6.04

9.06

12.08

15-14

18.16

21.18

24.21

27-15

30.25

33 25

36.25

2600

3-14

6.28

9-4'2

12.56

15-74

18.88

22.02

25.18

28.34

31.46

34-58

37.70

2700

3-26

6.52

9-79

13.04

16.35

19.60

22.87

26.15

29-33

32.67

35-91

39-15

2800

3-38

6.76

10. 16

13-52

16.96

20.23

23-72

27.12

30-52

33-88

37-24

40.60

2900

350

7.07

10.52

14.01

17-56

21.05

24-57

28.09

31.61

35-09

38-57

42.05

3000

3.62

7-38

10.88

14.50

18.16

21.78

25-42

29.06

32.70

36.30

39-90

43-50

2l6

HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

TABLE II.— Concluded.

Feet

! Width in inches.

per

min.

13 in.

14 in.

15 in.

16 in.

17 in.

18 in.

ig in.

20 in.

21 in.

22 in.

23 in.

24 in.

H. P.

100

1-57

1.69

1. 81

1.94

2.06

2.18

2.30

2.42

2-53

2.66

2.78

2.90

200

3-14

3-38

3.62

3-87

4.12

4-36

4.60

4.84

5.06

5.32

5-56

5.80

800

4.71

5-07

5-43

5.82

6.08

6.54

6.90

7.26

7-59

7.98

8.34

8.70

400

6.28

6.76

7.24

7.76

8.24

8.72

9.20

9.68

10.12

10.64

11.12

11. bo

500

7-85

8.45

9-05

9.70

10.30

10.90

11.50

12.10

12.65

13-30

13.90

14-50

600

9.42

10.14

10.86

11.64

12.36

13.08

13.80

14.52

15.18

15.96

16.68

17.40

700

10.99

11.83

12.67

13-58

14.42

15.26

16.10

16.94

17.71

18.62

19.46

20.30

800

12.56

13-52

14.48

15 52

16.48

17.44

18.40

19.36

20.24

21.28

22.24

23.20

900

14-13

15.21

16.29

17.46

18.54

19.62

20.70

21.78

22.77

23-94

25.02

26.10

1000

15.70

16.90

18.10

19.40

20.60

21.80

23.00

24.20

25-30

26.60

27.84

29.00

1100

17.27

18.59

19.91

21.34

22.66

23.98

25-30

26.62

27.83

29.26

30.58

31.90

1200

18.84

20.28

21.72

23.28

24.72

26.16

27.60

29.04

30-36

31.92

33-36

34-80

1300

20.41

21.97

23 -53

25.22

26.78

28.34

29 90

31.46

32.89

34-58

36.14

37-70

1400

21.98

23.66

25-34

27.16

28.84

30.52

32.20

38.88

35.42

37-24

38.92

40.60

1500

23-55

25-35

27-15

29.10

30.90

32.70

34-50

36-30

37.95

39-90

42.70

43-50

1600

25.12

27.04

28.96

31.04

32.96

34-88

36.80

38.72

40.48

42.50

44-48

46.40

1700

26.69

28.73

30.77

32.98

35-02

37.06

39.10

41.14

43 01

45.52

47.26

49-30

1800

28.26

30.42

32.58

34-92

37.08

39-24

41.40

43-56

45-54

47.88

50.04

52.20

1900

29.83

32.11

34-39

36.86

39-14

41.42

43-70

45.98

48.07

50.56

52.86

55-10

2000

31-40

33-80

36.20

38.80

41.20

43.60

46.00

48.40

50.60

53.20

55.68

58.00

2100

32-97

35-49

38.01

40.74

43.26

45-78

48.30

50-82

53-13

55-86

58.42

60 90

2200

34-54

37-18

39 82

42.68

45-32

47.96

50.60

53.24

55.66

58-52

61.16

63.80

2300

36.11

38.87

41.63

43.62

47-38

50.14

52.90

55-66

58.19

61.18

63.94

66.70

2400

37.68

40.56

43-44

46.56

49.44

52.32

55-20

58.08

60.72

68.84

66.72

69.60

2500

39-25

42.25

45-25

48.50

51-50

54 50

57-50

60.50

63.25

66.50

69.50

72.50

2600

40.82

43-94

47.06

50.44

53-56

56.68

59-80

62.92

65.78

69.16

72.28

75-40

2700

42-39

45-63

48.87

52.38

55-62

58.86

62.10

65-34

68.81

71.82

75.06

78.30

2800

43-96

47-32

50.68

54-32

57.68

61.04

64.40

67.76

70.84

74.48

77.84

81.20

2900

45-53

48.01

52.49

56.62

59-74

63-32

66.70

70.18

73 37

77-14

81.62

84.10

8000

47.10

50.70

54-30

58.20

61.80

65.40

69.00

72.60

75.90

79.80

85.40

87.00

ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN. 217

CHAPTER XXIV.

ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN — THEY SHOUID MAKE
THEMSELVES PROFICIENTS IN THEIR BUSINESS
—FREQUENT CHANGES NOT ADVISABLE— PROPER
STUDIES FOR THE YOUNG MECHANIC IN ORDER
TO FIT HIM FOR FUTURE USEFULNESS, ETC.

In conclusion, a few words of advice to young men
may not be amiss.

The question is often asked why it is that planing-
mill operators as a class are not as competent men as
may be found in other mechanical businesses. There
is scarcely an accident or a breakdown but may be
traced directly or indirectly to carelessness or neglect
on the part of the operator. To a close observer this
question can be satisfactorily answered. In the first
place, comparatively few young men adopt this as a
regular business or permanent occupation, and do not
serve the necessary apprenticeship to qualify them for
the duties and responsibilities devolving upon them.
In the second place, men who have served an appren-
ticeship and thoroughly fitted themselves for the duties
and responsibilities of the position cannot afford to
give their time and energies to a business that in the
past has offered so little inducements in the small
salaries that most planing-mill proprietors are willing
to offer ; consequently many abandon this business for
something that may offer them better inducements.
In fact, it would seem as if a large majority of plan-

2l8 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

ing-mill operators adopt this business as a sort of
makeshift until they can find something better.

Such men are not expected to devote their mind
and energies to a business that they expect to remain
in only a few months. A young man, for instance,
gets tired of farming, and makes up his mind to try
something else. He goes to the nearest town and
applies for a job in a planing-mill ; works around a few
months ; watches the men who are running the
machines : it all looks simple enough to him, and after
awhile he makes up his mind that he can do that work
just as well as anybody. He goes to the next town,
and obtains a situation in some mill as a competent
operator ; works until he has a breakdown, or the
machine gets in such a condition that the customers
complain of bad work and threaten to leave ; when,
if not discharged he will pick up his traps and try
something else. So he floats around between planing-
mills, saw-mills, and logging-camps ; and if he should
happen to continue around planing-mills long enough
he may pick up sufficient knowledge in time to
become a second or third class operator : but the
chances are that one or two seasons will wind up his
career, and he will either return to the farm, which he
should never have left, or try some other business, with
like results.

There is a class of planing-mill operators, however,
who have learned this business in the regular way, and
have become experts in their chosen profession, many
of whom I have the pleasure of being personally
acquainted with. Such men are ornaments to their
profession, and profitable to their employers at any

THE YOUNG MECHANIC. 219

salary; and there are planing-mill proprietors who
appreciate such men, but I am sorry to say that they
are not as numerous as they should be.

To this class of operators I have no reference — their
own work and the efficiency of their machines are a
sufficient recommendation ; but 1 do contend that a
man, to have the care and management of wood-
working machinery, should be a proficient at the
business. A young man starting out in life, who in-
tends to make this his business and profession, should
go into some first-class mill, and, under a competent
foreman, serve a regular apprenticeship, and devote all
the energies of his mind to the business unreservedly,
until he has mastered all the principles and details of
the different machines that may come under his charge
in after years.

It is by this means only that he can make a success
of it and command the highest price for his labor and
skill, and superintend with intelligence and authority
the workmen under his charge. He should not only
aspire to become a good operator, but should endeavor
to become a master-mechanic in his chosen profession.
He should devote his leisure time to the study of
such mechanical works as relate to his business, instead
of throwing it away, as many young men do, in reading
the trashy literature of the day in the shape of dime
novels, which impart no useful information, or in attend-
ing variety shows — both of which are a total loss of
time. He should remember that '* time once past
never returns : a moment lost is lost forever." He
should also study mathematics, philosophy, and the
natural sciences ; thereby not only fitting himself to

220 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

discharge his duties in a more intelligent manner, but
also for any other useful occupation in after life in case
of accident or disability.

By making himself master of those principles of
science — more particularly those which are most in-
timately connected with his business, he may be laying
unawares the foundation for future discoveries in
mechanical improvements that may be a source of
great benefit to the public and profit to himself.

Benjamin Franklin, when learning the trade of a print-
er and devoting all his leisure time to the study of
philosophy and the natural sciences, probably never
dreamed of the brilliant discoveries that he would make
in after-life, or the fame that would attach itself to his
name and descend as a living monument to generations
yet unborn.

Elihu Burritt, the learned blacksmith, who com-
menced learning his trade when quite young and with
a very limited cornmon school education, at the age of
forty was master of fifty-two languages, and wrought
at his anvil during all that time, only devoting his
leisure time to study until the demands of the public
called him to a more public, beneficial, and profitable
occupation.

I could name a large number of men among my per-
sonal acquaintances who commenced their apprentice-
ship poor, and with but little education, but who by
devoting their leisure time to study, have ascended to
the top of the ladder, and are now filling places of re-
sponsibility and trust, and have secured, many of them,
a large competency ; while others, from the same shops,
who devoted their leisure time to novel-reading and

THE YOUNG MECHANIC. 221

attending places of amusement that were no benefit to
them, are now, in their dedining years, still working
as common hands, and for wages that no more than
enables them to eke out a bare existence. Such ex-
amples are to be found in every shop and in every line
of mechanical business, and should be a living example
to young men not to go and do likewise.

When a young man decides to learn a trade or pro-
fession, whether it be the care and management of
wood-working machinery, the charge of a lumber-yard,
or any of the mechanical trades, he should cultivate a
spirit of contentment, and realize that when he is work-
ing for the interest of his employer he is working for
his own. I do not mean that he should content him-
self to always renjain in just the same position he may
fill at the time, but by study and perseverance fit him-
self for advancement to the higher and more responsi-
ble positions that the same line of business may afford.
It is a well-known fact, that may be demonstrated by
numerous living examples, that some of the largest and
wealthiest lumber-dealers in the country began life as
common laborers in the yard, and by energy, strict in-
tegrity, and careful attention to business in time suc-
ceeded in rendering themselves almost indispensable to
their employers, and finally became partners, and lastly
proprietors themselves.

The young man who is satisfied with his business and
adheres to it, and endeavors to make himself useful
in whatever position he may occupy, presents a much
more respectable figure in the eyes of the public than
one who is constantly changing from one thing to an-
other and undertaking hazardous enterprises^ which

222 HISTORY OF THE PLANING-MILL.

often end in debt and ruin. A man who has been en-
gaged in a mercantile business all his life will not be apt
to succeed well as a manufacturer ; neither would a
blacksmith be apt to succeed as a merchant.

There is an old saying that is applicable to every one
who has been brought up to a regular trade or profes-
sion, and that has more truth than poetry — " Keep to
your shop, and your shop will keep you."

I admire the old English style. If a man is a suc-
cessful manufacturer or mechanic, no matter how
wealthy he may become, his sons and grandsons are
not too proud to be known as manufacturers and
mechanics themselves, and write themselves with pride
as the successors of the old firm.

For honesty, integrity, and genuine respectability,
commend me to the intelligent, hard-working mechanic.

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